Post by Venom 🕷 on Sept 9, 2022 16:05:58 GMT -5
Loss.
We open up as we hear the voice of the young El Rey. The 20-year-old former X*Crown champion sits alone. The room he’s in is engulfed in darkness except his head which is covered by his hands and that’s lit with a light source from off camera. We can only see the top of the young man’s head. He removes his hands and his hair is a mess. He slowly looks up. His face is full of anger and hatred as he looks into the camera.
Loss is something everyone deals with at some point. People like me, though, don’t deal with it as often as others, and so we deal with it in different ways.
He reaches up and tries to fix his hair, but to no avail.
You see, I was always on the best teams. I always went to the best schools. Sure, we’d lose a game here and there. Sure I’d do poorly on a test from time to time, but losing regularly wasn’t a common occurrence. Even the rough patch most married couples go through happened with my parents before I was old enough to remember. So when I lose, it’s not like when most people lose. Most people know how to lose, how to deal with it. It’s a learned habit they gained through youth. It’s a skill, a skill I never fucking learned.
He stops grits his teeth and takes a deep breath trying to keep calm.
I know in wrestling there’s no perfect wrestler. Everyone is going to have periods where they lose. Or should I say I know that now. Coming into the business I had the very best trainers you could have. My father who is a hall of famer in two major companies. Scorpion who trained my father and is a hall of famer in his own right. Then when I struggled my uncle Charlie was there, another legend. Now I’m being mentored by the great Zoran Sainovic. So even if I know there’s no perfect wrestler, sometimes I feel like I should be. That makes taking loss even harder.
El Rey grits his teeth, and again stops and takes a deep breath. His face skews as he begins to speak clearly trying to hold his emotions.
What makes it harder still is when I feel, no, I know that I was the better man. When I get the rug pulled out from under me after I’ve laid the final blow. That really grinds my gears and it’s hard to stop myself from blowing up. It’s the worst kind of loss for me. When you mix all of those things together, I just can’t control it.
The lights of the room shine and we see a room in shambles. The coffee table is on its side. The sofa cushions are everywhere. The paintings on the wall are crooked and one has a hold punched through it. El Rey lowers his head in disgrace.
All three of those things were in full effect after I took the loss to the Jamrockers. I did everything in that match. I took punishment. I dished out punishment. I took to the skies and got everyone standing on their feet. I was perfect, except for one thing. I didn’t pay attention to the legal man. That one mistake. That one blemish on perfection. It cost me the match and caused all of this. I’m calmer now, though. My head is cool and I’ve collected my thoughts. Now I know what I have to do next, and I know I won’t make the same mistakes again.
We cut to a new scene. The young El Rey has found a new outlet for his aggression as we find him running the streets of London. He dodges through the crowds until he reaches Tower Bridge. He stops and looks down at the water before he finds the camera. He takes a deep breath.
Royal Crown might be the biggest match of my career. I know, I know. How could anything be bigger than twice competing at Supremacy for the X*Crown and winning it once? I said might, and it might be because success at the federation level is one of the few things that has alluded me in my young career. I’ve had chances at title in NLW. I had a shot at being King in J-Rok and couldn’t seal the deal. So finally reaching the top of the mountain in my local fed, it could be huge for me.
El Rey pauses and again looks down at the water. He seems to be watching a ship as it slowly drifts away. He looks on mesmerized before finally breaking the trance and locking back in with the camera.
Sure, this match should be just more of the same for me. Another multi-man like the two Supremacy matches. Another match where I have experience with some and zero experience with others. Five and Recoba, I have never graced the ring with them. Recoba I only know by his reputation. He’s known for being a ruthless competitor who will do anything to get the win. Five, I only know as Misha’s side kick. I don’t know much about him as a man out on his own, but if he’s anything like Misha I know he’ll be up for the battle.
El Rey stops, takes a beat, and continues.
Then there’s Spike Kane. Oh boy do I have experience with him. I know his tricks. I’ve bested him twice and outfoxed him in defeat another time. Him I can handle. Him I can control. What I can’t control and what really eats at me, though, is the champ. He’s outsmarted me already and his partner will always be a nuisance, and that’s something I have to be ready for, and I can promise you, I will be ready.
El Rey stops and abruptly begins his run again as we fade on the Tower Bridge.
We open up as we hear the voice of the young El Rey. The 20-year-old former X*Crown champion sits alone. The room he’s in is engulfed in darkness except his head which is covered by his hands and that’s lit with a light source from off camera. We can only see the top of the young man’s head. He removes his hands and his hair is a mess. He slowly looks up. His face is full of anger and hatred as he looks into the camera.
Loss is something everyone deals with at some point. People like me, though, don’t deal with it as often as others, and so we deal with it in different ways.
He reaches up and tries to fix his hair, but to no avail.
You see, I was always on the best teams. I always went to the best schools. Sure, we’d lose a game here and there. Sure I’d do poorly on a test from time to time, but losing regularly wasn’t a common occurrence. Even the rough patch most married couples go through happened with my parents before I was old enough to remember. So when I lose, it’s not like when most people lose. Most people know how to lose, how to deal with it. It’s a learned habit they gained through youth. It’s a skill, a skill I never fucking learned.
He stops grits his teeth and takes a deep breath trying to keep calm.
I know in wrestling there’s no perfect wrestler. Everyone is going to have periods where they lose. Or should I say I know that now. Coming into the business I had the very best trainers you could have. My father who is a hall of famer in two major companies. Scorpion who trained my father and is a hall of famer in his own right. Then when I struggled my uncle Charlie was there, another legend. Now I’m being mentored by the great Zoran Sainovic. So even if I know there’s no perfect wrestler, sometimes I feel like I should be. That makes taking loss even harder.
El Rey grits his teeth, and again stops and takes a deep breath. His face skews as he begins to speak clearly trying to hold his emotions.
What makes it harder still is when I feel, no, I know that I was the better man. When I get the rug pulled out from under me after I’ve laid the final blow. That really grinds my gears and it’s hard to stop myself from blowing up. It’s the worst kind of loss for me. When you mix all of those things together, I just can’t control it.
The lights of the room shine and we see a room in shambles. The coffee table is on its side. The sofa cushions are everywhere. The paintings on the wall are crooked and one has a hold punched through it. El Rey lowers his head in disgrace.
All three of those things were in full effect after I took the loss to the Jamrockers. I did everything in that match. I took punishment. I dished out punishment. I took to the skies and got everyone standing on their feet. I was perfect, except for one thing. I didn’t pay attention to the legal man. That one mistake. That one blemish on perfection. It cost me the match and caused all of this. I’m calmer now, though. My head is cool and I’ve collected my thoughts. Now I know what I have to do next, and I know I won’t make the same mistakes again.
We cut to a new scene. The young El Rey has found a new outlet for his aggression as we find him running the streets of London. He dodges through the crowds until he reaches Tower Bridge. He stops and looks down at the water before he finds the camera. He takes a deep breath.
Royal Crown might be the biggest match of my career. I know, I know. How could anything be bigger than twice competing at Supremacy for the X*Crown and winning it once? I said might, and it might be because success at the federation level is one of the few things that has alluded me in my young career. I’ve had chances at title in NLW. I had a shot at being King in J-Rok and couldn’t seal the deal. So finally reaching the top of the mountain in my local fed, it could be huge for me.
El Rey pauses and again looks down at the water. He seems to be watching a ship as it slowly drifts away. He looks on mesmerized before finally breaking the trance and locking back in with the camera.
Sure, this match should be just more of the same for me. Another multi-man like the two Supremacy matches. Another match where I have experience with some and zero experience with others. Five and Recoba, I have never graced the ring with them. Recoba I only know by his reputation. He’s known for being a ruthless competitor who will do anything to get the win. Five, I only know as Misha’s side kick. I don’t know much about him as a man out on his own, but if he’s anything like Misha I know he’ll be up for the battle.
El Rey stops, takes a beat, and continues.
Then there’s Spike Kane. Oh boy do I have experience with him. I know his tricks. I’ve bested him twice and outfoxed him in defeat another time. Him I can handle. Him I can control. What I can’t control and what really eats at me, though, is the champ. He’s outsmarted me already and his partner will always be a nuisance, and that’s something I have to be ready for, and I can promise you, I will be ready.
El Rey stops and abruptly begins his run again as we fade on the Tower Bridge.
