Anyone can wear a belt [CROSS 1] [HARDCORE HEAVEN]
Aug 27, 2023 13:51:02 GMT -5
Kira Izumi, Jack Diamond, and 3 more like this
Post by Cross Recoba on Aug 27, 2023 13:51:02 GMT -5
The sounds of progress in construction ring louder than those in most industries. The foreman knows his team are doing well the less he has to talk, the telling noise of headway being delivered in whirs, hammers, and instruments that rarely fulfil their role at anything other than an ear-splitting volume.
The Lansky Ballroom had undergone a major refit over the last few months at great expense. A casualty of the success of Tap Out Wrestling, your sentiments on this achievement relied on whether you worked for them or the Casino that hosted their events.
The workmen stuck to the periphery, the finishing touches being applied from the inside to the outside of the venue. A birds-eye camera panned over the Ballroom and then stopped, centered on the ring. The canvas was embossed with the Tap Out Wrestling logo, black trim made up the apron and black and white ropes were broken up by Japanese-inspired red turnbuckle pads.
The camera picked up Recoba using one of the pads to rest into, the suit ever-present but this time squared away with an Awning-striped tie in company colors.
“I’m a busy man, I’m sure you can appreciate that,” Recoba’s words were measured and even, “so forgive me for shoehorning a preview of the new-look Lansky Ballroom into this but let's be clear: a match with Brendan Harding needs something to draw you in.”
Recoba smiled as he let the silence add gravitas to the bluntness of his words.
“He might be the newly-crowned undisputed Visual Kei Champion, but he is to wrestling what the potato is to the culinary arts….without something to make you care about it, it’s just some white bland starch that’s a sign something more appealing is near. Did anyone tune in to watch Harding or did they tune in for Dylan Black? You know, the actual star.”
It’s a rhetorical question but feel free to send your postcards with the correct answer to the J-ROK Headquarters.
“Just look at how Brendan carried off the wrestling travesty of the year. Sure, he beat Dylan Black but if Temerario didn’t get involved would that still be the case? Eagle-eyed viewers might have noticed that Temarario didn’t target Harding but instead tried to cash in on Dylan, and why? Because Black was the bigger threat! Is it any wonder that Dylan retired after this match when he’s been phoning it in since January? Even when you beat him, people still didn’t care!”
Cross pushed off the ropes and started to walk into the center of the ring as he talked.
“Face facts, Brendan, even you know that you’re a lame duck Champion. Where was the insipid press conference this time? Where was the crowing? For all the people who tell me you’re the next generation of J-ROK, you’re just Poochy for the XHF Network. You were the King of Hokkaido last year, you beat James Raymond to become the Interim Champion but what really are you when we strip away the people around you?”
No Gaines in Hawaii and Roza, well…
Recoba stopped and the walk’s purpose became clear. The row of hospitality boxes had their frontage decorated with fan-made banners for Diamond, Jackalope, Jason Long, Sam Sawyer and Aiden Merric.
“Misha Constantine’s talent, Dread Wolf’s drive and determination and what did you get, Brendan? You’re a participation trophy in your own family! And as for your time with Fox?”
The fireworks were lovely though.
“Take away the associations with these people and what’s left for me to face? This is top Champion versus top Champion but in every second of videotape I watch, in every syllable of each soundbite, I’m left flat. What are you, Brendan? The kid who ran away to the circus? The failed musician?” You once said you’re not the one who’s the professional wrestler and those are the most accurate words you’ve ever uttered! You couldn’t even be your brother-in-law’s favorite wrestler!”
King Zen? Read the Pretender Prince.
“In three years you’ve managed to reach the top of J-ROK and yet I couldn’t name a single area in the ring where I’m afraid of you. We’re meeting at Hardcore Heaven and you’re not in the Thumbtacks and Legos match, you’re not involved in the Spider’s Web Death Match….you’re in a two out of three falls match. Not a two out of three falls deathmatch, not two out of three chairs have barbed wire wrapped around them…no gimmicks to hide behind and mask the fact that you’re stealing a living.”
Cross almost strafed as he moved to his right so the new look screen came into shot above the entrance.
“If you spent less time claiming your ego-trip of a tag-team title win was for the victims of EVE’s stunt and perfecting musical numbers before a title loss, you could be dangerous. Instead, you’re wasted potential because you became a wrestler to prove to Fox you belonged with him…how did that work out for you again?”
I don’t need to …but I’m going there.
“Just how badly do you think you dropped the ball with that one? I’ve seen people with no right being in an X*Crown match come out with better losses than you. You lost the match and your marriage in one fell swoop! But, if we’re being honest, you lost your husband to Zoran months before that night and your way to fix it was to continue wrestling on the other side of the world! Everything you touch turns to shit and yet here I am having to waste my time pitting myself against you! But why did I decide to take this match?”
I’ve far more valuable things to do than fight the Luke Hemsworth of wrestling.
“Because I joined HKW to show them what actual wrestling looks like and now I’m the guy wearing their top title. I told the crowd I was going to take down Donovan and when I got my shot… I was crowned their Heavyweight Champion. I didn’t need help from any outside weapons and the only gold I laid my hands on was the prize at the end. I opened the door for people like Kalmin Watts to even get a title shot! Before me, the fans would clamor for someone whose only talents were a high tolerance for pain and the ability to count how many light tubes were in their hand but now they know I’m the pinnacle of wrestling. I took HardKore World and turned it into HKW. The initials mean more than the outdated name and now I have to repeat the process again with J-ROK, drag you all into the outside world. Black ventured from J-ROK with his X*Crown reigns but you? You’re content to stick to your safe place but the reality is you’re only a step or two away from being a Von Krauss with a sensitivity badge!”
Same innuendo though.
“The peak of your career wasn’t your win against Black at Night of Champions; it was when Fox won the Prestige title! I’m here to educate your fans and give you a reality check at the same time. You hold that Visual Kei title but you’ve got nothing to back it up once the weapons are removed. Sure, you held the New Wave title longer than such esteemed wrestlers as Rei Kagura and Ember Ferrari but you must know that you’re only the champion until the actual talent arrives.”
Let’s be clear, Dar Price would take you down the minute she chose to go after your title.
“So, when that bell rings, Brendan, I want to be clear in my intentions. I’m beating you because I want to make sure that even J-ROK knows and understands exactly why I’m the XHF Box Office Smash. I’m here to show that HKW is the superior promotion as if it wasn’t painfully obvious anyway. I signed the match because when I see people like Mistress Discipline get a title shot for no reason, I feel overlooked. I could use you as a punching bag across two falls to send a message to Fox, it’s just a rather large leap in logic that he cares at all about what you do.”
I’d say you were smart enough to give me an answer to that but I’m still wondering why the man with an extensive martial arts background doesn’t just compete in Mixed Martial Arts? Oh wait, you’d have to eclipse Fox’s showing in GUNS: Fight Club.
“I’m not here to win fans, I’m here to prove why I’m a true Champion and you’re just a guy who wears a belt!”
The shot faded out as the camera pulled back.
The Lansky Ballroom had undergone a major refit over the last few months at great expense. A casualty of the success of Tap Out Wrestling, your sentiments on this achievement relied on whether you worked for them or the Casino that hosted their events.
The workmen stuck to the periphery, the finishing touches being applied from the inside to the outside of the venue. A birds-eye camera panned over the Ballroom and then stopped, centered on the ring. The canvas was embossed with the Tap Out Wrestling logo, black trim made up the apron and black and white ropes were broken up by Japanese-inspired red turnbuckle pads.
The camera picked up Recoba using one of the pads to rest into, the suit ever-present but this time squared away with an Awning-striped tie in company colors.
“I’m a busy man, I’m sure you can appreciate that,” Recoba’s words were measured and even, “so forgive me for shoehorning a preview of the new-look Lansky Ballroom into this but let's be clear: a match with Brendan Harding needs something to draw you in.”
Recoba smiled as he let the silence add gravitas to the bluntness of his words.
“He might be the newly-crowned undisputed Visual Kei Champion, but he is to wrestling what the potato is to the culinary arts….without something to make you care about it, it’s just some white bland starch that’s a sign something more appealing is near. Did anyone tune in to watch Harding or did they tune in for Dylan Black? You know, the actual star.”
It’s a rhetorical question but feel free to send your postcards with the correct answer to the J-ROK Headquarters.
“Just look at how Brendan carried off the wrestling travesty of the year. Sure, he beat Dylan Black but if Temerario didn’t get involved would that still be the case? Eagle-eyed viewers might have noticed that Temarario didn’t target Harding but instead tried to cash in on Dylan, and why? Because Black was the bigger threat! Is it any wonder that Dylan retired after this match when he’s been phoning it in since January? Even when you beat him, people still didn’t care!”
Cross pushed off the ropes and started to walk into the center of the ring as he talked.
“Face facts, Brendan, even you know that you’re a lame duck Champion. Where was the insipid press conference this time? Where was the crowing? For all the people who tell me you’re the next generation of J-ROK, you’re just Poochy for the XHF Network. You were the King of Hokkaido last year, you beat James Raymond to become the Interim Champion but what really are you when we strip away the people around you?”
No Gaines in Hawaii and Roza, well…
Recoba stopped and the walk’s purpose became clear. The row of hospitality boxes had their frontage decorated with fan-made banners for Diamond, Jackalope, Jason Long, Sam Sawyer and Aiden Merric.
“Misha Constantine’s talent, Dread Wolf’s drive and determination and what did you get, Brendan? You’re a participation trophy in your own family! And as for your time with Fox?”
The fireworks were lovely though.
“Take away the associations with these people and what’s left for me to face? This is top Champion versus top Champion but in every second of videotape I watch, in every syllable of each soundbite, I’m left flat. What are you, Brendan? The kid who ran away to the circus? The failed musician?” You once said you’re not the one who’s the professional wrestler and those are the most accurate words you’ve ever uttered! You couldn’t even be your brother-in-law’s favorite wrestler!”
King Zen? Read the Pretender Prince.
“In three years you’ve managed to reach the top of J-ROK and yet I couldn’t name a single area in the ring where I’m afraid of you. We’re meeting at Hardcore Heaven and you’re not in the Thumbtacks and Legos match, you’re not involved in the Spider’s Web Death Match….you’re in a two out of three falls match. Not a two out of three falls deathmatch, not two out of three chairs have barbed wire wrapped around them…no gimmicks to hide behind and mask the fact that you’re stealing a living.”
Cross almost strafed as he moved to his right so the new look screen came into shot above the entrance.
“If you spent less time claiming your ego-trip of a tag-team title win was for the victims of EVE’s stunt and perfecting musical numbers before a title loss, you could be dangerous. Instead, you’re wasted potential because you became a wrestler to prove to Fox you belonged with him…how did that work out for you again?”
I don’t need to …but I’m going there.
“Just how badly do you think you dropped the ball with that one? I’ve seen people with no right being in an X*Crown match come out with better losses than you. You lost the match and your marriage in one fell swoop! But, if we’re being honest, you lost your husband to Zoran months before that night and your way to fix it was to continue wrestling on the other side of the world! Everything you touch turns to shit and yet here I am having to waste my time pitting myself against you! But why did I decide to take this match?”
I’ve far more valuable things to do than fight the Luke Hemsworth of wrestling.
“Because I joined HKW to show them what actual wrestling looks like and now I’m the guy wearing their top title. I told the crowd I was going to take down Donovan and when I got my shot… I was crowned their Heavyweight Champion. I didn’t need help from any outside weapons and the only gold I laid my hands on was the prize at the end. I opened the door for people like Kalmin Watts to even get a title shot! Before me, the fans would clamor for someone whose only talents were a high tolerance for pain and the ability to count how many light tubes were in their hand but now they know I’m the pinnacle of wrestling. I took HardKore World and turned it into HKW. The initials mean more than the outdated name and now I have to repeat the process again with J-ROK, drag you all into the outside world. Black ventured from J-ROK with his X*Crown reigns but you? You’re content to stick to your safe place but the reality is you’re only a step or two away from being a Von Krauss with a sensitivity badge!”
Same innuendo though.
“The peak of your career wasn’t your win against Black at Night of Champions; it was when Fox won the Prestige title! I’m here to educate your fans and give you a reality check at the same time. You hold that Visual Kei title but you’ve got nothing to back it up once the weapons are removed. Sure, you held the New Wave title longer than such esteemed wrestlers as Rei Kagura and Ember Ferrari but you must know that you’re only the champion until the actual talent arrives.”
Let’s be clear, Dar Price would take you down the minute she chose to go after your title.
“So, when that bell rings, Brendan, I want to be clear in my intentions. I’m beating you because I want to make sure that even J-ROK knows and understands exactly why I’m the XHF Box Office Smash. I’m here to show that HKW is the superior promotion as if it wasn’t painfully obvious anyway. I signed the match because when I see people like Mistress Discipline get a title shot for no reason, I feel overlooked. I could use you as a punching bag across two falls to send a message to Fox, it’s just a rather large leap in logic that he cares at all about what you do.”
I’d say you were smart enough to give me an answer to that but I’m still wondering why the man with an extensive martial arts background doesn’t just compete in Mixed Martial Arts? Oh wait, you’d have to eclipse Fox’s showing in GUNS: Fight Club.
“I’m not here to win fans, I’m here to prove why I’m a true Champion and you’re just a guy who wears a belt!”
The shot faded out as the camera pulled back.
