Post by Jay Stevens on Jan 31, 2021 20:36:52 GMT -5
A small, well lit set has been erected in the backstage area of the Powerade Center. A large flat screen television takes up most of the rear wall, two chairs properly distanced in the foreground. Seated to the left is Justin Spencer, managing editor and broadcast journalist for NPW.com. He is smartly dressed in a charcoal gray suit with a periwinkle shirt and matching pocket square.
Across from him is his current guest, Northern Pro Wrestling standout, Jay Stevens. Stevens is dressed, as usual, in his black warmup suit with orange trim.
Spencer: With me now is Jay Stevens. Cruiserweight Cup semi-finalist and the man who went three-and-oh in the tournament and is positioned to win the whole thing. Jay, how are you feeling going into the Cruiserweight Cup Finale?
Stevens: I feel great. Ready to go. The work was already done in the gym, now is the fun part where I get to put all of it together and showcase what I’m capable of.
Spencer: You’ve faced some great competitors in the tournament but your next match is generating the most buzz. You face Adrien Cochrane in the Semi-finals and the two of you have gone back and forth quite a bit, spilling over into the weigh-ins this morning. Let’s take a look.
The screen lights up and starts to replay the heated exchange between Cochrane and Stevens at the official weigh-ins. Gus Arnold and several referees force themselves between the two men while Chris Cavenaugh can be seen in the background egging both of them on and laughing at their expense.
Spencer: A very surprising turn of events considering both you and Adrien tend to find yourselves on the side of right. What happened today?
Stevens: Adrien came onto the stage and started running his mouth. I’ve clearly gotten under his skin and he is really amped up about it. He kept pointing to his “#Believe” shirt because he is very hung up on getting me to believe he isn’t who he used to be and I ignored him but Dynamite just started jawing back “Who are you?” repeatedly.
Spencer: You refer to your partner “Kid Dynamite” Nicole Anderson.
Stevens: Yeah. He started in on her and I don’t care who you are or what we’re doing, if anyone tries to come at Nicole, professionalism goes out the window and you have a problem with me. She’s family.
Spencer: You and he both seem very agitated with one another, it can’t just be about this match. What is the origin of this bad blood?
Stevens: I know Adrien thinks it’s because I was brought up by the big bad Team Danger and that I must share all of their opinions and I’m not foolish enough to say that isn’t partially true. Adrien keeps assuming that I am just parroting what they have to say and trust in this, I am downright complimentary compared to what Eric has to say.
Stevens laughs and shifts in his chair.
Stevens: Adrien is very hung up on forcing me to believe that he is better than he used to be. That he’s not the same person he was when he encountered Team Danger in the before times. I don’t care about any of that. I’m not interested in who he was then and, despite his assumption that I don’t have internet access and haven’t researched his career, I’m not interested in who he is now.
Spencer: And that right there is a very different tone than what we’ve grown accustomed to from you.
Stevens: It’s difficult to explain but I won’t pretend to respect someone. Adrien Cochrane traveled the world and earned his accomplishments as a small fish in even smaller ponds. He’s just now come back to step into the ring with legitimate competition, but he hasn’t wasted a single opportunity to applaud himself for his accolades in obscurity. There’s no honor in that and it feels so disingenuous because he does it with a smile on his face. But in only two days, he’ll have his chance to show me who he is and what he’s got. With me there is no mystery, what you see is what you get.
Spencer: Which brings me to my next question. Coming into the tournament and since it began, your lineage has come into the spotlight. Prior to that, you made great effort to conceal the fact that your father is Stephen Greer, your “uncle” Tyrone Walker, “aunt” Kelly Evans and that you’ve been influenced by the “Only Star” Eric Dane.
Stevens: I never tried to hide it, I just didn’t boast about it. I mean, I was featured in Team Danger promos and seen almost from birth, it’s one of the worst kept secrets in the wrestling industry.
Spencer: Then why not be forthcoming from the start?
Stevens: I’ve said it a million times, I wanted to stand on my own. I wanted to advance my career without the influence of “Team Danger”, whether that be good or bad. It’s why I wrestled under a mask for many years to learn my craft. And as evidenced by every interview since the “big reveal”, I didn’t want to talk about Team Danger forever, especially with everyone that apparently still feels wronged by them.
Spencer: Fair enough, let’s move on then.
Spencer points to the screen again, this time showing clips from Jay’s matches with Gebin, Eron Hunter and Tyrone Walker.
Spencer: You have had an impressive showing up to this point in the tournament, becoming the points leader by securing wins over Eron Hunter, Gebin and Tyrone Walker. Three very different wrestlers with very different styles, what did you learn from those encounters? And how did you approach such varied competitors?
Stevens: I learned a lot. Eron Hunter took me to my absolute limit and I hope to see him in the Finals of this tournament. I genuinely look forward to testing myself in battle with him again. Gebin showed me that speed can definitely kill and I had to push to keep up with that. And Ty? I learned that no matter what, you have to go for the kill.
As for how I approached the matches? My gameplan is always the same, to stay disciplined and inflict my will on my opponent. I can’t afford to get sucked into someone else’s game, I have to stay true to what I am and I am pure professional wrestling.
Spencer: I think we’ll close on that, thank you for joining me today, Jay.
Stevens: Thank you.
Jay stands up and gives a waive to signal his exit.
Across from him is his current guest, Northern Pro Wrestling standout, Jay Stevens. Stevens is dressed, as usual, in his black warmup suit with orange trim.
Spencer: With me now is Jay Stevens. Cruiserweight Cup semi-finalist and the man who went three-and-oh in the tournament and is positioned to win the whole thing. Jay, how are you feeling going into the Cruiserweight Cup Finale?
Stevens: I feel great. Ready to go. The work was already done in the gym, now is the fun part where I get to put all of it together and showcase what I’m capable of.
Spencer: You’ve faced some great competitors in the tournament but your next match is generating the most buzz. You face Adrien Cochrane in the Semi-finals and the two of you have gone back and forth quite a bit, spilling over into the weigh-ins this morning. Let’s take a look.
The screen lights up and starts to replay the heated exchange between Cochrane and Stevens at the official weigh-ins. Gus Arnold and several referees force themselves between the two men while Chris Cavenaugh can be seen in the background egging both of them on and laughing at their expense.
Spencer: A very surprising turn of events considering both you and Adrien tend to find yourselves on the side of right. What happened today?
Stevens: Adrien came onto the stage and started running his mouth. I’ve clearly gotten under his skin and he is really amped up about it. He kept pointing to his “#Believe” shirt because he is very hung up on getting me to believe he isn’t who he used to be and I ignored him but Dynamite just started jawing back “Who are you?” repeatedly.
Spencer: You refer to your partner “Kid Dynamite” Nicole Anderson.
Stevens: Yeah. He started in on her and I don’t care who you are or what we’re doing, if anyone tries to come at Nicole, professionalism goes out the window and you have a problem with me. She’s family.
Spencer: You and he both seem very agitated with one another, it can’t just be about this match. What is the origin of this bad blood?
Stevens: I know Adrien thinks it’s because I was brought up by the big bad Team Danger and that I must share all of their opinions and I’m not foolish enough to say that isn’t partially true. Adrien keeps assuming that I am just parroting what they have to say and trust in this, I am downright complimentary compared to what Eric has to say.
Stevens laughs and shifts in his chair.
Stevens: Adrien is very hung up on forcing me to believe that he is better than he used to be. That he’s not the same person he was when he encountered Team Danger in the before times. I don’t care about any of that. I’m not interested in who he was then and, despite his assumption that I don’t have internet access and haven’t researched his career, I’m not interested in who he is now.
Spencer: And that right there is a very different tone than what we’ve grown accustomed to from you.
Stevens: It’s difficult to explain but I won’t pretend to respect someone. Adrien Cochrane traveled the world and earned his accomplishments as a small fish in even smaller ponds. He’s just now come back to step into the ring with legitimate competition, but he hasn’t wasted a single opportunity to applaud himself for his accolades in obscurity. There’s no honor in that and it feels so disingenuous because he does it with a smile on his face. But in only two days, he’ll have his chance to show me who he is and what he’s got. With me there is no mystery, what you see is what you get.
Spencer: Which brings me to my next question. Coming into the tournament and since it began, your lineage has come into the spotlight. Prior to that, you made great effort to conceal the fact that your father is Stephen Greer, your “uncle” Tyrone Walker, “aunt” Kelly Evans and that you’ve been influenced by the “Only Star” Eric Dane.
Stevens: I never tried to hide it, I just didn’t boast about it. I mean, I was featured in Team Danger promos and seen almost from birth, it’s one of the worst kept secrets in the wrestling industry.
Spencer: Then why not be forthcoming from the start?
Stevens: I’ve said it a million times, I wanted to stand on my own. I wanted to advance my career without the influence of “Team Danger”, whether that be good or bad. It’s why I wrestled under a mask for many years to learn my craft. And as evidenced by every interview since the “big reveal”, I didn’t want to talk about Team Danger forever, especially with everyone that apparently still feels wronged by them.
Spencer: Fair enough, let’s move on then.
Spencer points to the screen again, this time showing clips from Jay’s matches with Gebin, Eron Hunter and Tyrone Walker.
Spencer: You have had an impressive showing up to this point in the tournament, becoming the points leader by securing wins over Eron Hunter, Gebin and Tyrone Walker. Three very different wrestlers with very different styles, what did you learn from those encounters? And how did you approach such varied competitors?
Stevens: I learned a lot. Eron Hunter took me to my absolute limit and I hope to see him in the Finals of this tournament. I genuinely look forward to testing myself in battle with him again. Gebin showed me that speed can definitely kill and I had to push to keep up with that. And Ty? I learned that no matter what, you have to go for the kill.
As for how I approached the matches? My gameplan is always the same, to stay disciplined and inflict my will on my opponent. I can’t afford to get sucked into someone else’s game, I have to stay true to what I am and I am pure professional wrestling.
Spencer: I think we’ll close on that, thank you for joining me today, Jay.
Stevens: Thank you.
Jay stands up and gives a waive to signal his exit.