A Man of his Word [CROSS EOD #1]
Oct 26, 2023 18:09:46 GMT -5
Mongo the Destroyer, Dave D-Flipz, and 2 more like this
Post by Cross Recoba on Oct 26, 2023 18:09:46 GMT -5
[23rd October 2023]
[Rancho Palos Verdes, California]
Cross watched the Pacific Ocean waves kiss the banks of the Terranea Resort from the comfort of his Suite. He cupped his hands in a warm embrace around a cup of coffee, awaiting a news report from the XHF’s Twitch Stream as he took in the view.San Pedro in the summer would have been ideal for an XHF show, but now the sun hid behind the clouds and last night’s fina leaned on the threat of returning Great Whites to sell the Final.
Danger was always in Mongo’s masterful marketing plan, a strategy that had seen fights more fit for outdated institution practices than a revered wrestling Network. Its champions said nothing, taking the bookings just happy to hold the belt, Cross was determined to break that vicious cycle.
He’d watched one of the oddest bouts the Network had seen the previous night: a Swab the Deck match, good on paper but the online reaction was enough to tell you that a spectacle doesn’t always translate to the audience in attendance:
What did they expect from CAR? The woman at the helm was the result of Granny from the Tweety Pie cartoon being continuously smashed into a Manic Pixie Dream Girl and now everyone had to pay for another of Mongo’s fruitless attempts at diversifying.
“Welcome to XHF: The Stream of Reality! I’m your host, Brandon McKay and we now have our X*Crown match set for the End of Days pay-per-view!” The laptop burst to life with an over-pepped voice. “Are we seeing the return to the top for Death Trap?”
An annoying clunking sound repeatedly played, uninformed and unwanted opinions filled up the screen:
“Last night saw Death Trap sail past the second of the Icons, beating Jason Long to win the End of Days tournament FOR A SECOND TIME!” The enthusiasm from McKay continued to grow. “We’re already seeing just how much stream support the veteran has and come Sunday in Sacramento, he’ll become the newest member of the three-time X*Crown Champion club!”
Recoba shut the tab down, it was obvious that he’d be seen as the underdog, a mere stopgap between Fox and Death Trap holding the crown but he’d been in a similar position. When Dakota Jennings won the End of Days tournament, he’d been seen as his girlfriend’s sidekick but he celebrated her achievements despite every inch of his Italian-American instincts telling him to prove he was still the man in the relationship. Cross willingly took a backseat to allow Dakota her time to shine.
If this was being filmed, some people would wink. Some people are morons.
He’d used his position as the ‘lesser’ partner to beat wave after wave of high-profile opponents in Ascension Wrestling. Natasha, Subject 42, and The ReVenants were just a few of his supposed betters who had found out the hard way that the perception Of Cross’ lesser status - was dangerous.
For a moment, Recoba felt his confidence waver. A quick look towards the XHF X*Crown title reminded him that he didn’t hold that belt through pity or luck. Instead, he’d earned it from taking down a man who’d robbed Cross of every accolade and award going since Recoba joined the Network.
The Champion reached for his phone and pressed a button.
“Set up the press room, I’ll email you the details. Make sure you carry them out to the letter.”
[25th October 2023]
[The Sands Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada]
The camera faded in on Cross’ study. The shot pans down a wall, a magazine cover of Recoba’s arm being raised at Diamond Mine IV sits above the XHF X*Crown Title, underneath it, another cover shows the recent defence against ‘The Punisher’ Dan Stein as it leads down to the HKW Heavyweight Title until finally we settle on the Champion himself.
Keeping with his regime of temperance, a bottle of water is shown next to Recoba as he smiles towards the viewers.
“Welcome back, DT, so you are still wrestling. I thought that when you say something, you mean it. You told the world that this year was your last Rumble, which is what you also said in the Lockdown Rumble. Or five years ago, before the Legends Showcase when you told your pal, Funaki, that ‘after this match’ you’d go and ride into the sunset and NEVER wrestle again. What about SWAT when you claimed ‘you’d never challenge for the X*Crown again’. But, here you are and congratulations, you won the End of Days tournament a second time. Plan to make good on the win this time or just relive history? Why wait to waste a shot that could have gone to someone with a shelf-life past February?
At least this time it can’t end up in a dogpile like the first time…or the second time.
“Instead, you’re coming into this match with a Seattle-sized chip on your shoulder because in a twenty-plus year career, you’ve held my title for only seventy-two days. In context, it’s a third of Dylan’s inaugural reign and half the time Fox or Zoran held the title and yet you still think you’re better than them. Telling people that Zoran and Dylan don’t have long-term success like you do and every time you mention that, it only reminds people of your comparative mediocrity. You don’t mention that you only got a shot against Caffrey to win the X*Crown last time because Zoran just wanted to fuck with him. No, that would take away from the myth of Death Trap, the self-professed legend.”
Makes it more fun to watch you get humiliated at Supremacy 2019 and Night of Champions 11, if we’re being truthful.
“You joined SWAT to follow Zoran and why? To pat him on the back? Nope! Pure revenge that you never got as he waltzed into the ether without even acknowledging you. Your words have as much credibility as the town blowhard claiming he could win a set against Djokovic or a round off Tyson! You’ve done really well for a man of forty-three by winning this tournament but face facts, you’re running out of road here.”
One last big match, DT? One last big run coming to an end…until Rumble season comes along and you realize you’ve nothing to offer anyone beyond this?
“You’re so concerned with your legacy in relation to others that you can’t see that this is as good as it gets for you. When I beat you, how much of your legitimacy and legacy as a Hall of Famer goes away? How much time do you have left? You’re so caught up in your self-appointed status that you can’t even let your wife have her time to shine. How often do you have to remind us, and Mistress Discipline, that you mentored her? How many times have you broken a promise not to step on her toes? FIRESIDE… getting her X*Crown shot against Fox thrown out, we both know you did that one to save face.”
Got to let go sometime, Death Trap, even those abs are going to fade.
“It must eat at you, DT, that you couldn’t beat Fox and if Mistress Discipline managed to hang on, she could win and realize you need her more than she needs you. It’s what gets you about my reign, I did what you couldn’t and in your eyes, I’m just a wannabe mafioso.”
Cross raised an eyebrow before reaching for the bottle of water and drinking from it.
“You’re riding high right now, DT, but staying on your Fox campaign - you blew it. Who tries to reason with a man who sold his soul for the X*Crown? Perhaps that’s why you took your cues from him in the tournament.”
Can’t beat them, you know the rest.
“You didn’t win alone, even your ego knows that, Death Trap. If it was first past the post? You’d have been out in the first-round but you stole a flash pin to squeak by. You beat Donzig but it’s the only match where you didn’t need help.”
I’m not trying to talk you out of the gameplan, I put down Fox despite SEIRIOS and Submaxiwear’s best efforts.
“But then we get to your two ‘big’ wins and one of those words is doing some seriously heavy lifting. Brass knuckles from Mistress Disciple, not you, beat Diamond in what HAS to be the biggest travesty of the tournament and then Doctor Chaos kept you from being counted out in the final. For someone who claims to do everything they can to make the fans cheer, it’s secondary to whatever is needed for you to be happy.”
You can’t bear to be seen as mediocre next to Dylan Black. Shame it’s true though.
“I know what you’re thinking, Dave, my reign reminds you of your last one. I’m the HKW and X*Crown Champ much like you fleetingly held the X*Crown whilst being the MCCW Heavyweight Champion but that’s where the similarities end. I’ve no intention of matching your paltry twenty-nine day reign, no intention of surrendering this title and especially not to someone like you. I worked for this title and now comments about me being led to the ring on a leash by Chris Card look short-sighted. I fought to reach this level to freshen up the whole scene, you seem to think this stage is your right.”
I could mention the comments about Dakota being my wife but at least you knew that if we did get married, it wouldn’t have been broadcast during an XHF promo.
“Go on and overlook my reign like you did Maverick’s before you wasted your last End of Days shot, see history repeat itself as you again leave empty-handed. You’re everything that’s wrong with the Network, you don’t even represent a wrestling company but instead a whim of Mongo’s that must somehow give him a tax break! You’re a cancer to every belt you hold! Was it coincidence that MCCW sputtered to a death after your second title reign there? What about the tag-team titles? They had to change the entire system because you’d killed off any interest in them! Points became a touring schedule just to find people who were interested in fighting a man who admits his peak was 2002!”
I was eight, someone like Long had just left pre-K!
“If you need further proof of just how poisonous you are - you joked about killing off half of my main event scene like it’s not damaging to the Network but missed the obvious: Long and Diamond can redeem themselves in November, when you lose how long until you get your own redemption?”
If only your talent matched your ability to self-publicize.
“You’re the old guard that needs to be phased out. If you win the title, then what? You give us the Fox rematch that literally no-one is crying out for? It wouldn’t even make my pre-show because you’re beat, DT, you’re washed! You know that you’re on borrowed time as it is, just look at how ‘The Main Attraction’ relies on his supporting cast.
Then again, didn’t you use that nickname to needle a rival about fifteen years ago?
“You’re lazy and right now, you’re broken down. You might have gotten heavily tainted wins over the Icons, Trap, but at what cost? With an injured leg are you going to risk that spinning back kick, the Breakdown Shining Wizard? Miss one of those and it’s over. Even your Death Trap leaves your nagging injuries open to be exploited, DT. Fully-fit, you’d be an interesting match but with that leg? An easy target for Lupara Bianca.”
Your second ever submission loss would be a nice bow on my first defence don’t you think?
“You need to get the match over with quickly to succeed. It’s not just your leg but at your size, you’re going to run out of oxygen well before I do and every minute that passes makes you an easier target. You might have lasted in the Rumble but what happens when you’ve no place to hide for a breather?”
Recoba lets the question hang in the air as he takes another sip from the bottle.
“The simple truth is that you couldn’t have wished for a worse opponent to face after your last two matches. A bad leg and a concussion history against an offense built around softening up your neck and suplexes that land you on your head as I break you down piece-by-piece.”
I hope you finally mastered how to deal with bridging suplexes.
“I’m coming into this fight knowing that the onus is on you to prove you still have what it takes. When that bell rings, Dave, I don’t need to worry about my own perception of my legacy, only on showing you how little yours is worth.”
The camera fades out.
[23rd October 2023]
[The Sands Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada]
Cross walked into the press room and was greeted by the turned heads of journalists who’d beaten him back to Vegas. Looking ahead, he smiled internally as his instructions had been made whole.
Behind the desk were an array of Network banners; the main XHF logo being flanked on by those of DTF, Dino Bones, Wrestle: UK, SCCW, HKW, and finally Tap Out.
As he made his way to the microphone, Cross exchanged quick pleasantries and handshakes with journalists he knew would deliver the news with no spin. Smiling to the rest, Recoba soon found himself walking behind the desk to the microphone.
“Afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. As a courtesy, this isn’t a press conference but an announcement. Any and all questions can be sent to myself or a member of my team after the fact.”
Cross reached for a glass of water to let the room take in his words.
“I head into the End of Days pay-per-view facing a man who even the old guard of the Network see as long in the tooth. Who has proven time and again that he’s only interesting when he’s chasing the title because once he gets it, he rarely knows what to do with it. Zoran profited when Death Trap cashed in his last End of Days shot, Rob Arnold when it came time for ‘The Main Attraction’...”
Even the most well-natured person could feel the sarcasm in the moniker.
“...to actually put the belt on the line. Just look at the state he left the tag division in. Can I get a show of hands if you knew who were the Tag Champs before The End won the Annihilator?“
Maybe one in five hands shot up.
“I won’t bother to ask you who they beat because it’s irrelevant and a complete waste of your time. Death Trap doesn’t care about anyone apart from himself, even his own wife is just a means to an end. Why is he in CAR for any reason other than a constant and easy nomination for these events? You can cheer for him all you want in Sacramento but remember, that’s your guy!”
The journalists murmured their reactions in various levels of shock and surprise.
“I’m being blunt and honest with you all today because I don’t see the point in trying to give you some spun version of the truth. Look at the banners behind me, each one of those are actual companies that regularly produce wrestling shows on the Network. Each one of those companies pay into the Network, generate income for the Network and deserve to be represented by a Network Champion that recognizes them! For twenty months, GUNS dominated this title until I broke their streak. Title matches kept to their shows or mandated Global events and yet now they have someone who is only too happy to take the X*Crown into their company and ask their roster to come forward and prove their worth! Next week, I’ll be in Birmingham, England to put the Wrestle: UK roster on notice that if they want to step forward and challenge me for the title, just say the word! I’ll be defending it in November at the next HKW show and why? Because these aren’t the walled gardens where the old guard play, these aren’t the companies where someone like Death Trap would deign to ‘lower’ himself to. He wants to go back with the title and do the bare minimum! I represent the companies where wrestlers are actually active….”
Cross paused to let the words sink in.
“When was the last time that Death Trap wrestled a match that WASN’T in some way linked to a Global title? Last December. He’s only out for his own glory and if the trade-off is that two-thirds of the Network never see an X*Crown match when they buy tickets for their favorite company? Why does he care?”
More murmured chatter escaped from the crowd.
“I’m not doing this out of the goodness of my heart, I’m doing it because Death Trap is going to take money out of my pocket, out of Tap Out’s pocket and every other company that he will do his best to shun and ignore. All so if he wins he can deliver ‘The Snooze in Santa Cruz’?”
At least he’s still putting people to sleep at this stage in his career.
“When that bell rings in Sacramento, I’m going to remind DT why he’s spent the last six months in a car and I’ve put HKW, Tap Out and myself on the map!”
Cross stepped away from the microphone and headed out of the room as a Tap Out aide came into view with contact details for follow-up.
[Rancho Palos Verdes, California]
Cross watched the Pacific Ocean waves kiss the banks of the Terranea Resort from the comfort of his Suite. He cupped his hands in a warm embrace around a cup of coffee, awaiting a news report from the XHF’s Twitch Stream as he took in the view.San Pedro in the summer would have been ideal for an XHF show, but now the sun hid behind the clouds and last night’s fina leaned on the threat of returning Great Whites to sell the Final.
Danger was always in Mongo’s masterful marketing plan, a strategy that had seen fights more fit for outdated institution practices than a revered wrestling Network. Its champions said nothing, taking the bookings just happy to hold the belt, Cross was determined to break that vicious cycle.
He’d watched one of the oddest bouts the Network had seen the previous night: a Swab the Deck match, good on paper but the online reaction was enough to tell you that a spectacle doesn’t always translate to the audience in attendance:
- LIVE CLOSED-CIRCUIT WRESTLING? HAS THE XHF GONE BACK TO THE EIGHTIES?
- JASON LONG WAS ROBBED!
- XHF PRESENTS: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: CURSE OF THE OLD GIRL
- TUNA MELTZER’S GOING TO EVISCERATE THIS IN HIS EVENT REVIEW
- CHAMPOON NEEDS TO RETURN THE XHF BARGE!
What did they expect from CAR? The woman at the helm was the result of Granny from the Tweety Pie cartoon being continuously smashed into a Manic Pixie Dream Girl and now everyone had to pay for another of Mongo’s fruitless attempts at diversifying.
“Welcome to XHF: The Stream of Reality! I’m your host, Brandon McKay and we now have our X*Crown match set for the End of Days pay-per-view!” The laptop burst to life with an over-pepped voice. “Are we seeing the return to the top for Death Trap?”
An annoying clunking sound repeatedly played, uninformed and unwanted opinions filled up the screen:
Glitchrng: DT to go the distance!
Kitten42: His whole arc NEEDS the win!
MongoSantana: It’s his LAST chance!
CorpseofAngelaDeWitt: It’ll be SO anticlimactic if he doesn’t get the belt!
Kitten42: His whole arc NEEDS the win!
MongoSantana: It’s his LAST chance!
CorpseofAngelaDeWitt: It’ll be SO anticlimactic if he doesn’t get the belt!
“Last night saw Death Trap sail past the second of the Icons, beating Jason Long to win the End of Days tournament FOR A SECOND TIME!” The enthusiasm from McKay continued to grow. “We’re already seeing just how much stream support the veteran has and come Sunday in Sacramento, he’ll become the newest member of the three-time X*Crown Champion club!”
PepeforClassPrez: Cross fluked a win over Fox!
BigBearBellyButton: One and done Recoba!
RivalPosterOzawa: RIP Cross’ reign!
SawyerTrainee: F
DT4LIFE: F
BEEEEEEEEEEEEFFFFFFFFFF: F
BigBearBellyButton: One and done Recoba!
RivalPosterOzawa: RIP Cross’ reign!
SawyerTrainee: F
DT4LIFE: F
BEEEEEEEEEEEEFFFFFFFFFF: F
Recoba shut the tab down, it was obvious that he’d be seen as the underdog, a mere stopgap between Fox and Death Trap holding the crown but he’d been in a similar position. When Dakota Jennings won the End of Days tournament, he’d been seen as his girlfriend’s sidekick but he celebrated her achievements despite every inch of his Italian-American instincts telling him to prove he was still the man in the relationship. Cross willingly took a backseat to allow Dakota her time to shine.
If this was being filmed, some people would wink. Some people are morons.
He’d used his position as the ‘lesser’ partner to beat wave after wave of high-profile opponents in Ascension Wrestling. Natasha, Subject 42, and The ReVenants were just a few of his supposed betters who had found out the hard way that the perception Of Cross’ lesser status - was dangerous.
For a moment, Recoba felt his confidence waver. A quick look towards the XHF X*Crown title reminded him that he didn’t hold that belt through pity or luck. Instead, he’d earned it from taking down a man who’d robbed Cross of every accolade and award going since Recoba joined the Network.
The Champion reached for his phone and pressed a button.
“Set up the press room, I’ll email you the details. Make sure you carry them out to the letter.”
*****
[25th October 2023]
[The Sands Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada]
The camera faded in on Cross’ study. The shot pans down a wall, a magazine cover of Recoba’s arm being raised at Diamond Mine IV sits above the XHF X*Crown Title, underneath it, another cover shows the recent defence against ‘The Punisher’ Dan Stein as it leads down to the HKW Heavyweight Title until finally we settle on the Champion himself.
Keeping with his regime of temperance, a bottle of water is shown next to Recoba as he smiles towards the viewers.
“Welcome back, DT, so you are still wrestling. I thought that when you say something, you mean it. You told the world that this year was your last Rumble, which is what you also said in the Lockdown Rumble. Or five years ago, before the Legends Showcase when you told your pal, Funaki, that ‘after this match’ you’d go and ride into the sunset and NEVER wrestle again. What about SWAT when you claimed ‘you’d never challenge for the X*Crown again’. But, here you are and congratulations, you won the End of Days tournament a second time. Plan to make good on the win this time or just relive history? Why wait to waste a shot that could have gone to someone with a shelf-life past February?
At least this time it can’t end up in a dogpile like the first time…or the second time.
“Instead, you’re coming into this match with a Seattle-sized chip on your shoulder because in a twenty-plus year career, you’ve held my title for only seventy-two days. In context, it’s a third of Dylan’s inaugural reign and half the time Fox or Zoran held the title and yet you still think you’re better than them. Telling people that Zoran and Dylan don’t have long-term success like you do and every time you mention that, it only reminds people of your comparative mediocrity. You don’t mention that you only got a shot against Caffrey to win the X*Crown last time because Zoran just wanted to fuck with him. No, that would take away from the myth of Death Trap, the self-professed legend.”
Makes it more fun to watch you get humiliated at Supremacy 2019 and Night of Champions 11, if we’re being truthful.
“You joined SWAT to follow Zoran and why? To pat him on the back? Nope! Pure revenge that you never got as he waltzed into the ether without even acknowledging you. Your words have as much credibility as the town blowhard claiming he could win a set against Djokovic or a round off Tyson! You’ve done really well for a man of forty-three by winning this tournament but face facts, you’re running out of road here.”
One last big match, DT? One last big run coming to an end…until Rumble season comes along and you realize you’ve nothing to offer anyone beyond this?
“You’re so concerned with your legacy in relation to others that you can’t see that this is as good as it gets for you. When I beat you, how much of your legitimacy and legacy as a Hall of Famer goes away? How much time do you have left? You’re so caught up in your self-appointed status that you can’t even let your wife have her time to shine. How often do you have to remind us, and Mistress Discipline, that you mentored her? How many times have you broken a promise not to step on her toes? FIRESIDE… getting her X*Crown shot against Fox thrown out, we both know you did that one to save face.”
Got to let go sometime, Death Trap, even those abs are going to fade.
“It must eat at you, DT, that you couldn’t beat Fox and if Mistress Discipline managed to hang on, she could win and realize you need her more than she needs you. It’s what gets you about my reign, I did what you couldn’t and in your eyes, I’m just a wannabe mafioso.”
Cross raised an eyebrow before reaching for the bottle of water and drinking from it.
“You’re riding high right now, DT, but staying on your Fox campaign - you blew it. Who tries to reason with a man who sold his soul for the X*Crown? Perhaps that’s why you took your cues from him in the tournament.”
Can’t beat them, you know the rest.
“You didn’t win alone, even your ego knows that, Death Trap. If it was first past the post? You’d have been out in the first-round but you stole a flash pin to squeak by. You beat Donzig but it’s the only match where you didn’t need help.”
I’m not trying to talk you out of the gameplan, I put down Fox despite SEIRIOS and Submaxiwear’s best efforts.
“But then we get to your two ‘big’ wins and one of those words is doing some seriously heavy lifting. Brass knuckles from Mistress Disciple, not you, beat Diamond in what HAS to be the biggest travesty of the tournament and then Doctor Chaos kept you from being counted out in the final. For someone who claims to do everything they can to make the fans cheer, it’s secondary to whatever is needed for you to be happy.”
You can’t bear to be seen as mediocre next to Dylan Black. Shame it’s true though.
“I know what you’re thinking, Dave, my reign reminds you of your last one. I’m the HKW and X*Crown Champ much like you fleetingly held the X*Crown whilst being the MCCW Heavyweight Champion but that’s where the similarities end. I’ve no intention of matching your paltry twenty-nine day reign, no intention of surrendering this title and especially not to someone like you. I worked for this title and now comments about me being led to the ring on a leash by Chris Card look short-sighted. I fought to reach this level to freshen up the whole scene, you seem to think this stage is your right.”
I could mention the comments about Dakota being my wife but at least you knew that if we did get married, it wouldn’t have been broadcast during an XHF promo.
“Go on and overlook my reign like you did Maverick’s before you wasted your last End of Days shot, see history repeat itself as you again leave empty-handed. You’re everything that’s wrong with the Network, you don’t even represent a wrestling company but instead a whim of Mongo’s that must somehow give him a tax break! You’re a cancer to every belt you hold! Was it coincidence that MCCW sputtered to a death after your second title reign there? What about the tag-team titles? They had to change the entire system because you’d killed off any interest in them! Points became a touring schedule just to find people who were interested in fighting a man who admits his peak was 2002!”
I was eight, someone like Long had just left pre-K!
“If you need further proof of just how poisonous you are - you joked about killing off half of my main event scene like it’s not damaging to the Network but missed the obvious: Long and Diamond can redeem themselves in November, when you lose how long until you get your own redemption?”
If only your talent matched your ability to self-publicize.
“You’re the old guard that needs to be phased out. If you win the title, then what? You give us the Fox rematch that literally no-one is crying out for? It wouldn’t even make my pre-show because you’re beat, DT, you’re washed! You know that you’re on borrowed time as it is, just look at how ‘The Main Attraction’ relies on his supporting cast.
Then again, didn’t you use that nickname to needle a rival about fifteen years ago?
“You’re lazy and right now, you’re broken down. You might have gotten heavily tainted wins over the Icons, Trap, but at what cost? With an injured leg are you going to risk that spinning back kick, the Breakdown Shining Wizard? Miss one of those and it’s over. Even your Death Trap leaves your nagging injuries open to be exploited, DT. Fully-fit, you’d be an interesting match but with that leg? An easy target for Lupara Bianca.”
Your second ever submission loss would be a nice bow on my first defence don’t you think?
“You need to get the match over with quickly to succeed. It’s not just your leg but at your size, you’re going to run out of oxygen well before I do and every minute that passes makes you an easier target. You might have lasted in the Rumble but what happens when you’ve no place to hide for a breather?”
Recoba lets the question hang in the air as he takes another sip from the bottle.
“The simple truth is that you couldn’t have wished for a worse opponent to face after your last two matches. A bad leg and a concussion history against an offense built around softening up your neck and suplexes that land you on your head as I break you down piece-by-piece.”
I hope you finally mastered how to deal with bridging suplexes.
“I’m coming into this fight knowing that the onus is on you to prove you still have what it takes. When that bell rings, Dave, I don’t need to worry about my own perception of my legacy, only on showing you how little yours is worth.”
The camera fades out.
*****
[23rd October 2023]
[The Sands Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada]
Cross walked into the press room and was greeted by the turned heads of journalists who’d beaten him back to Vegas. Looking ahead, he smiled internally as his instructions had been made whole.
Behind the desk were an array of Network banners; the main XHF logo being flanked on by those of DTF, Dino Bones, Wrestle: UK, SCCW, HKW, and finally Tap Out.
As he made his way to the microphone, Cross exchanged quick pleasantries and handshakes with journalists he knew would deliver the news with no spin. Smiling to the rest, Recoba soon found himself walking behind the desk to the microphone.
“Afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. As a courtesy, this isn’t a press conference but an announcement. Any and all questions can be sent to myself or a member of my team after the fact.”
Cross reached for a glass of water to let the room take in his words.
“I head into the End of Days pay-per-view facing a man who even the old guard of the Network see as long in the tooth. Who has proven time and again that he’s only interesting when he’s chasing the title because once he gets it, he rarely knows what to do with it. Zoran profited when Death Trap cashed in his last End of Days shot, Rob Arnold when it came time for ‘The Main Attraction’...”
Even the most well-natured person could feel the sarcasm in the moniker.
“...to actually put the belt on the line. Just look at the state he left the tag division in. Can I get a show of hands if you knew who were the Tag Champs before The End won the Annihilator?“
Maybe one in five hands shot up.
“I won’t bother to ask you who they beat because it’s irrelevant and a complete waste of your time. Death Trap doesn’t care about anyone apart from himself, even his own wife is just a means to an end. Why is he in CAR for any reason other than a constant and easy nomination for these events? You can cheer for him all you want in Sacramento but remember, that’s your guy!”
The journalists murmured their reactions in various levels of shock and surprise.
“I’m being blunt and honest with you all today because I don’t see the point in trying to give you some spun version of the truth. Look at the banners behind me, each one of those are actual companies that regularly produce wrestling shows on the Network. Each one of those companies pay into the Network, generate income for the Network and deserve to be represented by a Network Champion that recognizes them! For twenty months, GUNS dominated this title until I broke their streak. Title matches kept to their shows or mandated Global events and yet now they have someone who is only too happy to take the X*Crown into their company and ask their roster to come forward and prove their worth! Next week, I’ll be in Birmingham, England to put the Wrestle: UK roster on notice that if they want to step forward and challenge me for the title, just say the word! I’ll be defending it in November at the next HKW show and why? Because these aren’t the walled gardens where the old guard play, these aren’t the companies where someone like Death Trap would deign to ‘lower’ himself to. He wants to go back with the title and do the bare minimum! I represent the companies where wrestlers are actually active….”
Cross paused to let the words sink in.
“When was the last time that Death Trap wrestled a match that WASN’T in some way linked to a Global title? Last December. He’s only out for his own glory and if the trade-off is that two-thirds of the Network never see an X*Crown match when they buy tickets for their favorite company? Why does he care?”
More murmured chatter escaped from the crowd.
“I’m not doing this out of the goodness of my heart, I’m doing it because Death Trap is going to take money out of my pocket, out of Tap Out’s pocket and every other company that he will do his best to shun and ignore. All so if he wins he can deliver ‘The Snooze in Santa Cruz’?”
At least he’s still putting people to sleep at this stage in his career.
“When that bell rings in Sacramento, I’m going to remind DT why he’s spent the last six months in a car and I’ve put HKW, Tap Out and myself on the map!”
Cross stepped away from the microphone and headed out of the room as a Tap Out aide came into view with contact details for follow-up.
*****
