Post by Dave D-Flipz on Oct 28, 2023 1:19:07 GMT -5
*Thursday afternoon*
*We open up inside the gym of the hotel. Death Trap is on the weight bench doing low weight, high rep sets. His left leg is still in that stiff brace to protect it, he has one crutch nearby. He pumps, and pumps, and finally racks the weights with the help of his spotter, Funaki. Funaki hands him a towel and lets the Main Attraction towel himself off, as well as the bench and bar. DT sits up and sighs. He grabs the crutch and Funaki assists him to his feet. Crutch hits ground and DT hobbles, a little surer than the last time we saw him, towards the side of the room to grab a bottle of water from a gym duffel. As he gulps down the sweet nectar of life, he clenches his fist, still clearly frustrated at his leg.*
Funaki: You are making good progress! You should be able to wrestle no problem on Sunday!
Death Trap: That was never a question. People consistently throw out insults at me, but there is nobody that would ever call me a disappointment to the fans. At least not since the Network era began. Life experience and new outlooks and such.
Funaki: Are you worried about Cross targeting your leg?
*DT tosses the bottle back into the bag and turns carefully on his one crutch and walks back to Funaki.*
Death Trap: Au contraire … I’m counting on it. It’s what any sane strategist would do. It’s why I’m taking all these precautions and actually following doctor’s orders. But if Cross thinks this target is his key to a disappointing quick and efficient submission win, he hasn’t been paying attention. I mean I’d argue he hasn’t been paying attention regardless. After all, he’s hearing all these promises I never made. To be fair, I understand where the misunderstanding occurred. See I take this business very seriously. And I constantly hold myself to a high standard. And when I feel like I’m slipping, I always have to question if I can really do this anymore. When the fans no longer pay to see me, that’s my cue to leave.
Funaki: So you didn’t vow to retire?
Death Trap: Funaki… when would I EVER do that. Knowing how seriously I take my reputation? I’m not above a little white lie or a mind game, but when it comes to talking to the fans? Never. I’ve had my doubts and serious conversations with the fans, myself, and my wife and manager. I’ve brought it up how I am getting long in the tooth and I may be nearing my end. Any of these big events may be my last. But I’ve never come right out and said ‘It’s over’. And I wouldn’t. I’m too addicted to the spotlight. As long as I can give these fans a show, I’m going to stick around. I understand Cross wouldn’t get that, the man wouldn’t know excitement if it kicked him in his huge balls.
Funaki: Bahaha – wait… huge?
Death Trap: A man has to have grapefruits to try and call into question my integrity, or my wife’s. My intentions are pure, Funaki buddy. I’ve been up front since the rumble about what I’m after. Cross? His drive is money. Reputation. He’s got the new expansion, the new title, the name written into the history books. I’m sure he wants to keep that title … but he doesn’t NEED it. He has his Tapout. He has his playthings. He has his ability to gloat over Jack after the long and contentious contract negotiations. He knows how much I need this. And he knows how much I need my fans cheering my name. So his only recourse is to paint me as someone on the same level as him. Dragging me down into the muck.
*DT gingerly steps over to the rowing machine, doing his best to avoid relying on the crutch. He sets up the machine and calls Funaki over to spot him.*
Funaki: What do you mean, drag you to his level?
Death Trap: Missed those barbs in his little teardown of me? Well don’t worry, I caught it. Cross is a born cheater. A man who only values winning regardless of the point of this job. If he could pull a Steve Awesome and roll me up at the bell he’d consider it the best main event in history. But me? No that ain’t how I play. And that is NOT the values I hold. How fucking dare he accuse me of cheating and relying on my team to win my matches for me!? I have been at the top of this damn network since 2019. I have consistently been put, by myself, against impossible odds. To the point where it almost got me killed. As if I didn’t beat Jack by getting him to pass out in my expert submission. As if I’d forget how to swim and abandon a match? Disappoint my fans? Against Jason Long? But worst of all … accusing me of costing my wife her chance at the glory we’ve been hunting together?
Funaki: You did interfere in her match.
*DT releases the rowing machine, a loud CLANG rings out as the weights hit the floor. He scowls at Funaki before spitting fire through clenched teeth*
Death Trap: BULLSHIT! By the time I came out to save my wife from having her internal organs disassembled, Fox had let his two minions attack and was using illegal weaponry. He was no longer trying to win, he was trying to kill her for having the audacity to be better than him. The same trick he tried on me. The only reason Cross has the belt is because he was willing to disgrace that title by being lower than Fox!
Funaki: SORRY SORRY! I wasn’t there. I just saw the highlights. I didn’t mean to question your integrity!
*DT sighs and stands up, grabbing his crutch. He tosses Funaki the towel*
Death Trap: You clean up and grab my bags. I need to go cool off and think about the best way to get my title back. Unlike Cross’s ex-wife, it won’t be easy.
*DT storms out as fast as he can hobble on one crutch*
*Friday, sunset*
*Death Trap stands on the beach, watching the reds and oranges dance across the dusk sky. He is cast in silhouette by the glare off the water in front of him. He is without his crutches and is wearing a softer more bendable brace on his leg. He lets the breeze blow past him, his t-shirt billowing out to the side. As the waves wash in with a metronomic rhythm lapping at the sandy shore, DT is as peaceful as we’ve seen him. He turns around, letting the receding sun’s rays illuminate parts of him, leaving others to play host to a dance of the shadows. He walks towards the camera, a slight grimace as he paces across the sand, but nothing drastic any longer.*
Death Trap: Cross. I get it, you don’t like seeing Mistress and Chaos around. Fine, they are at a girls’ night dinner. I wouldn’t want to offend your sensibilities after all. You are the champ and deserve the respect of me showing you I can meet you half way. While I refuse to put the things you value into my promotional material … no torture, cult rituals, bloodletting, hunting people, going to jail, sex in a drifter settlement, drugs and rock and roll, blackmail, or Icon wankery. I have put away the much more offensive stuff. Evidence of a healthy relationship. Lord knows we can’t have that on a wrestling program! Self-fellate your business “acumen” and praise all the various criminals on your roster all you want. But bring a wife and manager with her adopted child onto the set and WE’VE CROSSED A FUCKING LINE! The censors will be on us like Mongo on a triple cheeseburger with bacon and fatback.
*DT makes a jack off motion with his hand and scowls mockingly at the camera before he continues to move close to it.*
Death Trap: I apologize that you’ve forgotten what it’s like to have supporters. What it feels like to have a friend, how it helps the mind and body to have a confidant you can actually trust. It makes sense you would project your own weaknesses on others, you have only ever known the sleaziest of sleaze. Look, I’m not saying I’m a paragon of virtue. But I do my best to be a role model among all the shitstains in this industry … Donzig, Card, Caffrey, Dillinger, Fox, the Icons … Cross.
*He shakes his head as he looks back over his shoulder at the setting sun. Clouds move in front of portions of the sun, illuminating in yellow and red, while casting the white tops of the cloud as silver. He breathes in the ocean air and exhales, soaking it all in.*
Death Trap: My wife and I are the most dominant tag team in XHF history. And we are a team, perfectly in sync. Her successes are mine, and mine are hers. When I win? We both win. I know, you’ve been hanging around Jason Long a ton, but surely you remember what it feels like to love someone. You can’t be THAT awful of a human being. I mean … you DO employ Poena, Aiden, and Long … all confirmed murderers. You might just be that sick inside, an enabler, a voyeur. But then, you don’t even really love and appreciate yourself do you?
*He sits down on the sand and pulls a water bottle from his pocket and downs a good portion of it.*
Death Trap: It’s been so long since anyone cared about Cross that you’ve forgotten how to love yourself. No fans come out for Cross Recoba, your ex-wife is gone, your roster actively tries to one-up you and show you up, your best friend stabbed you in the back. And here you stand as the X*Crown champ … and tell me that if I lose to you my legacy and legitimacy fade? How much of it goes away if you beat me?
*DT thinks about it*
Death Trap: Aren’t you the X*Crown champ? Don’t you go around telling everyone how you are the box office smash? Aren’t you a world champion of an active fed here? As you so eloquently pointed out … I’ve been doing mostly global stuff and car racing lately. Pretty sure if I lose to you it’s just a case of, “Damn I guess 5 matches in 5 weeks with only racing got to him. Bit rusty. Wasn’t quite at his best.” Let me ask you a question my Italian brother. How little do you think of yourself that you see losing to you as a career ending, legacy-tarnishing defeat? Should I be worried about you or not bro? If you wanna come out and admit to being a low level wrestler who really has no business competing with the top talents, that’s cool. But when I take your title and go defend it, I would hope that my conquests don’t turn around and cry about how they can never show their face again. They lost to the top wrestler on the network! Are you or are you not holding the big prize that you worked for years to even be considered in the picture for? What was all that work for if not to improve your own prospects and prove to everyone how great the Fox, Cross Recoba is? Do you need counseling? Mental health is health care man, get you the help you need. I’ll even help you out and hook you up with some good mental specialists, I have a list of them from my time pre-Network. You can’t be the top if you don’t believe it.
*DT snickers to himself*
Death Trap: Cross, I know this will bother you, but if you somehow manage to beat me. I PROMISE I will not go crying to everyone about how I lost to a snot sucking, pathetic, whiny, wretch of a man who is surely the lowest rung of the wrestling ladder! No I will make sure everyone knows I lost to the X*Crown champ, and the guy might actually be good enough to CARRY that title! Maybe they should all take him a bit more seriously, because Lord knows HE DOESN’T TAKE HIMSELF SERIOUSLY! It makes sense now, all the popping in on the global shows, spying on us. It’s just your lack of confidence. Imposter syndrome. You know that the Icons were better than you. And you now know that I am two steps above them! You were coming to try and gussy up the will to actually BELIEVE in yourself. Hey, go contact Adrien and let him know you need some help to #Believe! I’ll wait. … No I won’t. I’m above that shit. If you go in with any doubt on Sunday then I will wrestle circles around you. The same way I did over Dylan and Zoran.
*He stops and strokes his chin. He climbs gingerly to his feet, drinking the rest of his water and tossing the bottle into a nearby recycling receptacle.*
Death Trap: And it explains the words about those same stars you tried to put into my mouth. It’s your feelings. Thinks you have to tell yourself to avoid comparing yourself to the only three time X*Crown champs, one of whom is the most dominant one in history. See Cross I’ve never denigrated the time at the top of Zoran or Dylan. In fact I’ve been pretty up front about my own hiccups with defending titles. Not that that helps you since I’m actually good at WINNING them and you are the one in my way in that respect. But I have never claimed they didn’t have staying power. I showed confidence that I could beat them, that I was better than them. And low and behold, I do recall that when it came to fighting Dylan and Zoran, neither have beaten me one on one. And in the match for my title I recall removing a robotic LIMB from Dylan. And I recall dumping Zoran into a Sarlacc pit. But go on and tell me how YOU really feel about them.
*DT walks to the camera and grabs it, he begins walking back off the beach holding the camera*
Death Trap: You have a real knack for doing enough research to SOUND smart, but you don’t REALLY care about my history, my successes, my reputation. You bring up these half truths and try to make me out to be the bad guy. But that’s your schtick. I’m the guy whose only goal is to put on a fucking show. This is a SPORT, this is ENTERTAINMENT after all. And it all goes back to that fault in your ability to love yourself, and projecting your own weakness on others. Why did I go to SWAT? Not to chase Zoran that’s for sure, he was already gone! And I’d beaten him to get to Caffrey and my X*Crown. I was called in to repay a favor. Radu Matei asked me for help fighting off Armand and his goons. And then Armand and Donzig took that personally and made it a point to end me, and I, being a stubborn fuck, decided that wouldn’t do, I’m going to survive and make them look foolish. … It almost worked. Why did I go to Fireside? My tag team partner ASKED me to, she was having issues with New Money and BANG and needed some reliable backup. You like to gather some info, and then leave the important stuff out there. But hey, I’m here to fact check! I’m here to cross-examine your rhetoric and testimony.
*DT winks and clicks his tongue and finger guns to the camera like an idiot. He chuckles.*
Death Trap: Cross … I do this because I love this sport. I do this because I love the fans. I love hearing them chant my name, and earning their praise by holding titles high over my head in glory. I do this because it’s all I’ve ever been good at. And it’s fun. I do this because I am admittedly, a glory hound. I crave the brightest lights and biggest stages. It’s why you may hear lots of things said about me, but nobody ever would call my career … mediocre. I’d list off the accomplishments you seem to think are mediocre and how they dwarf anything you’ve done but … I’d be repeating myself. My legacy is fucking secure. Anything I do now is icing on the cake. But we all love icing on our cake Cross. I need to beat you and finish this quest. I need to bring my wife home that X*Crown and say, “HONEY! WE ARE X*CROWN CHAMP ONCE AGAIN!” And then you all can look up the network listings at my little slice of home, CAR, being the headlining show on the network. I need to do that to prove to MYSELF that I am still able to be that top talent, and keep giving the fans what they paid for. I need it to make sure I can in good conscience keep putting myself out there. I may lose more often now, but I am still miles better than you or your fed. You may have been wrong about my peak. It was 2020 not 2005 … but I am years removed from the best I will be. But I’m still more than enough to hold that title again. Still more than enough to handle for Jack Diamond, Donzig, Jason Long, and Cross Recoba. I need to know I DON’T need to ride off into the sunset. TO know I don’t need the doctors to try and force me away from one of my three great loves like they did back in that Legends Showcase.
*DT stops and lowers his head. Those were the darkest of times in his life. Truly he has come so far since 2018. Since 2008! He IS the better wrestler and the better man, and he just needs to prove it.*
Death Trap: Cross, it wasn’t my choice to be placed in those past global events representing feds. They asked me, they put me forward. And I relish a challenge so why would I EVER say no? And yes, CAR is a bit of an outlier in that there are precious few wrestlers to BE put forward. But I was forced into service there after that whole Sarlacc debacle. But don’t worry. I am just selfish enough to take full advantage of those opportunities. I’m sure you think you are the perfect opponent for this match to end me. But Cross … better men have tried to end me. My concussion history is known … and hasn’t been a problem since 2018. My submission resistance, pain tolerance, and stubborn refusal to ever say die is WELL documented.
*Unless you have a bag of fucking bugs around, good luck …*
Death Trap: But my endurance, stamina, and resilience are my hallmark. Anyone who ever watched MCCW, or Fireside, or SWAT, or any global show could tell you that you will NOT be outlasting me. So you better REALLY be confident in your cheap tactics and quick pins. Because, bad leg, bad head, 5 matches in a month … none of it will stop me. No Mafioso scare tactics or threats to hide my body will stop me. I do not fear you, and I will not stop this close to the goal. I have my renewed passion and spirit. I have everything I need to make you tapout … or pass out … Garibaldi’s Guillotine may be a great tool of execution … but everything I do … is a death trap. Cross, don’t get me wrong. I am not going to look past you. I know you are good. But I know I’m that much better. On Sunday, you will learn why they call me the Main Attraction. But until then?
*DT smirks and looks right into the camera as we see he is at the front door of his hotel … the sun has set, and now his face is hidden in shadow as the lights of the entry foyer are blocked out by his hat brim*
Death Trap: Take care of yourself, man. Self-love is important. I don’t think you are so awful that it would be embarrassing to lose to you. And hey, there’s always that .01% chance! You Vegas types do adore pressing your luck and playing the odds! Talk it out man, don’t let your life get caught in the crossfire of this business! Sleep sound tonight… or just wait until Sunday … and let me put you to sleep instead …
*He turns off the camera*
*We open up inside the gym of the hotel. Death Trap is on the weight bench doing low weight, high rep sets. His left leg is still in that stiff brace to protect it, he has one crutch nearby. He pumps, and pumps, and finally racks the weights with the help of his spotter, Funaki. Funaki hands him a towel and lets the Main Attraction towel himself off, as well as the bench and bar. DT sits up and sighs. He grabs the crutch and Funaki assists him to his feet. Crutch hits ground and DT hobbles, a little surer than the last time we saw him, towards the side of the room to grab a bottle of water from a gym duffel. As he gulps down the sweet nectar of life, he clenches his fist, still clearly frustrated at his leg.*
Funaki: You are making good progress! You should be able to wrestle no problem on Sunday!
Death Trap: That was never a question. People consistently throw out insults at me, but there is nobody that would ever call me a disappointment to the fans. At least not since the Network era began. Life experience and new outlooks and such.
Funaki: Are you worried about Cross targeting your leg?
*DT tosses the bottle back into the bag and turns carefully on his one crutch and walks back to Funaki.*
Death Trap: Au contraire … I’m counting on it. It’s what any sane strategist would do. It’s why I’m taking all these precautions and actually following doctor’s orders. But if Cross thinks this target is his key to a disappointing quick and efficient submission win, he hasn’t been paying attention. I mean I’d argue he hasn’t been paying attention regardless. After all, he’s hearing all these promises I never made. To be fair, I understand where the misunderstanding occurred. See I take this business very seriously. And I constantly hold myself to a high standard. And when I feel like I’m slipping, I always have to question if I can really do this anymore. When the fans no longer pay to see me, that’s my cue to leave.
Funaki: So you didn’t vow to retire?
Death Trap: Funaki… when would I EVER do that. Knowing how seriously I take my reputation? I’m not above a little white lie or a mind game, but when it comes to talking to the fans? Never. I’ve had my doubts and serious conversations with the fans, myself, and my wife and manager. I’ve brought it up how I am getting long in the tooth and I may be nearing my end. Any of these big events may be my last. But I’ve never come right out and said ‘It’s over’. And I wouldn’t. I’m too addicted to the spotlight. As long as I can give these fans a show, I’m going to stick around. I understand Cross wouldn’t get that, the man wouldn’t know excitement if it kicked him in his huge balls.
Funaki: Bahaha – wait… huge?
Death Trap: A man has to have grapefruits to try and call into question my integrity, or my wife’s. My intentions are pure, Funaki buddy. I’ve been up front since the rumble about what I’m after. Cross? His drive is money. Reputation. He’s got the new expansion, the new title, the name written into the history books. I’m sure he wants to keep that title … but he doesn’t NEED it. He has his Tapout. He has his playthings. He has his ability to gloat over Jack after the long and contentious contract negotiations. He knows how much I need this. And he knows how much I need my fans cheering my name. So his only recourse is to paint me as someone on the same level as him. Dragging me down into the muck.
*DT gingerly steps over to the rowing machine, doing his best to avoid relying on the crutch. He sets up the machine and calls Funaki over to spot him.*
Funaki: What do you mean, drag you to his level?
Death Trap: Missed those barbs in his little teardown of me? Well don’t worry, I caught it. Cross is a born cheater. A man who only values winning regardless of the point of this job. If he could pull a Steve Awesome and roll me up at the bell he’d consider it the best main event in history. But me? No that ain’t how I play. And that is NOT the values I hold. How fucking dare he accuse me of cheating and relying on my team to win my matches for me!? I have been at the top of this damn network since 2019. I have consistently been put, by myself, against impossible odds. To the point where it almost got me killed. As if I didn’t beat Jack by getting him to pass out in my expert submission. As if I’d forget how to swim and abandon a match? Disappoint my fans? Against Jason Long? But worst of all … accusing me of costing my wife her chance at the glory we’ve been hunting together?
Funaki: You did interfere in her match.
*DT releases the rowing machine, a loud CLANG rings out as the weights hit the floor. He scowls at Funaki before spitting fire through clenched teeth*
Death Trap: BULLSHIT! By the time I came out to save my wife from having her internal organs disassembled, Fox had let his two minions attack and was using illegal weaponry. He was no longer trying to win, he was trying to kill her for having the audacity to be better than him. The same trick he tried on me. The only reason Cross has the belt is because he was willing to disgrace that title by being lower than Fox!
Funaki: SORRY SORRY! I wasn’t there. I just saw the highlights. I didn’t mean to question your integrity!
*DT sighs and stands up, grabbing his crutch. He tosses Funaki the towel*
Death Trap: You clean up and grab my bags. I need to go cool off and think about the best way to get my title back. Unlike Cross’s ex-wife, it won’t be easy.
*DT storms out as fast as he can hobble on one crutch*
*Friday, sunset*
*Death Trap stands on the beach, watching the reds and oranges dance across the dusk sky. He is cast in silhouette by the glare off the water in front of him. He is without his crutches and is wearing a softer more bendable brace on his leg. He lets the breeze blow past him, his t-shirt billowing out to the side. As the waves wash in with a metronomic rhythm lapping at the sandy shore, DT is as peaceful as we’ve seen him. He turns around, letting the receding sun’s rays illuminate parts of him, leaving others to play host to a dance of the shadows. He walks towards the camera, a slight grimace as he paces across the sand, but nothing drastic any longer.*
Death Trap: Cross. I get it, you don’t like seeing Mistress and Chaos around. Fine, they are at a girls’ night dinner. I wouldn’t want to offend your sensibilities after all. You are the champ and deserve the respect of me showing you I can meet you half way. While I refuse to put the things you value into my promotional material … no torture, cult rituals, bloodletting, hunting people, going to jail, sex in a drifter settlement, drugs and rock and roll, blackmail, or Icon wankery. I have put away the much more offensive stuff. Evidence of a healthy relationship. Lord knows we can’t have that on a wrestling program! Self-fellate your business “acumen” and praise all the various criminals on your roster all you want. But bring a wife and manager with her adopted child onto the set and WE’VE CROSSED A FUCKING LINE! The censors will be on us like Mongo on a triple cheeseburger with bacon and fatback.
*DT makes a jack off motion with his hand and scowls mockingly at the camera before he continues to move close to it.*
Death Trap: I apologize that you’ve forgotten what it’s like to have supporters. What it feels like to have a friend, how it helps the mind and body to have a confidant you can actually trust. It makes sense you would project your own weaknesses on others, you have only ever known the sleaziest of sleaze. Look, I’m not saying I’m a paragon of virtue. But I do my best to be a role model among all the shitstains in this industry … Donzig, Card, Caffrey, Dillinger, Fox, the Icons … Cross.
*He shakes his head as he looks back over his shoulder at the setting sun. Clouds move in front of portions of the sun, illuminating in yellow and red, while casting the white tops of the cloud as silver. He breathes in the ocean air and exhales, soaking it all in.*
Death Trap: My wife and I are the most dominant tag team in XHF history. And we are a team, perfectly in sync. Her successes are mine, and mine are hers. When I win? We both win. I know, you’ve been hanging around Jason Long a ton, but surely you remember what it feels like to love someone. You can’t be THAT awful of a human being. I mean … you DO employ Poena, Aiden, and Long … all confirmed murderers. You might just be that sick inside, an enabler, a voyeur. But then, you don’t even really love and appreciate yourself do you?
*He sits down on the sand and pulls a water bottle from his pocket and downs a good portion of it.*
Death Trap: It’s been so long since anyone cared about Cross that you’ve forgotten how to love yourself. No fans come out for Cross Recoba, your ex-wife is gone, your roster actively tries to one-up you and show you up, your best friend stabbed you in the back. And here you stand as the X*Crown champ … and tell me that if I lose to you my legacy and legitimacy fade? How much of it goes away if you beat me?
*DT thinks about it*
Death Trap: Aren’t you the X*Crown champ? Don’t you go around telling everyone how you are the box office smash? Aren’t you a world champion of an active fed here? As you so eloquently pointed out … I’ve been doing mostly global stuff and car racing lately. Pretty sure if I lose to you it’s just a case of, “Damn I guess 5 matches in 5 weeks with only racing got to him. Bit rusty. Wasn’t quite at his best.” Let me ask you a question my Italian brother. How little do you think of yourself that you see losing to you as a career ending, legacy-tarnishing defeat? Should I be worried about you or not bro? If you wanna come out and admit to being a low level wrestler who really has no business competing with the top talents, that’s cool. But when I take your title and go defend it, I would hope that my conquests don’t turn around and cry about how they can never show their face again. They lost to the top wrestler on the network! Are you or are you not holding the big prize that you worked for years to even be considered in the picture for? What was all that work for if not to improve your own prospects and prove to everyone how great the Fox, Cross Recoba is? Do you need counseling? Mental health is health care man, get you the help you need. I’ll even help you out and hook you up with some good mental specialists, I have a list of them from my time pre-Network. You can’t be the top if you don’t believe it.
*DT snickers to himself*
Death Trap: Cross, I know this will bother you, but if you somehow manage to beat me. I PROMISE I will not go crying to everyone about how I lost to a snot sucking, pathetic, whiny, wretch of a man who is surely the lowest rung of the wrestling ladder! No I will make sure everyone knows I lost to the X*Crown champ, and the guy might actually be good enough to CARRY that title! Maybe they should all take him a bit more seriously, because Lord knows HE DOESN’T TAKE HIMSELF SERIOUSLY! It makes sense now, all the popping in on the global shows, spying on us. It’s just your lack of confidence. Imposter syndrome. You know that the Icons were better than you. And you now know that I am two steps above them! You were coming to try and gussy up the will to actually BELIEVE in yourself. Hey, go contact Adrien and let him know you need some help to #Believe! I’ll wait. … No I won’t. I’m above that shit. If you go in with any doubt on Sunday then I will wrestle circles around you. The same way I did over Dylan and Zoran.
*He stops and strokes his chin. He climbs gingerly to his feet, drinking the rest of his water and tossing the bottle into a nearby recycling receptacle.*
Death Trap: And it explains the words about those same stars you tried to put into my mouth. It’s your feelings. Thinks you have to tell yourself to avoid comparing yourself to the only three time X*Crown champs, one of whom is the most dominant one in history. See Cross I’ve never denigrated the time at the top of Zoran or Dylan. In fact I’ve been pretty up front about my own hiccups with defending titles. Not that that helps you since I’m actually good at WINNING them and you are the one in my way in that respect. But I have never claimed they didn’t have staying power. I showed confidence that I could beat them, that I was better than them. And low and behold, I do recall that when it came to fighting Dylan and Zoran, neither have beaten me one on one. And in the match for my title I recall removing a robotic LIMB from Dylan. And I recall dumping Zoran into a Sarlacc pit. But go on and tell me how YOU really feel about them.
*DT walks to the camera and grabs it, he begins walking back off the beach holding the camera*
Death Trap: You have a real knack for doing enough research to SOUND smart, but you don’t REALLY care about my history, my successes, my reputation. You bring up these half truths and try to make me out to be the bad guy. But that’s your schtick. I’m the guy whose only goal is to put on a fucking show. This is a SPORT, this is ENTERTAINMENT after all. And it all goes back to that fault in your ability to love yourself, and projecting your own weakness on others. Why did I go to SWAT? Not to chase Zoran that’s for sure, he was already gone! And I’d beaten him to get to Caffrey and my X*Crown. I was called in to repay a favor. Radu Matei asked me for help fighting off Armand and his goons. And then Armand and Donzig took that personally and made it a point to end me, and I, being a stubborn fuck, decided that wouldn’t do, I’m going to survive and make them look foolish. … It almost worked. Why did I go to Fireside? My tag team partner ASKED me to, she was having issues with New Money and BANG and needed some reliable backup. You like to gather some info, and then leave the important stuff out there. But hey, I’m here to fact check! I’m here to cross-examine your rhetoric and testimony.
*DT winks and clicks his tongue and finger guns to the camera like an idiot. He chuckles.*
Death Trap: Cross … I do this because I love this sport. I do this because I love the fans. I love hearing them chant my name, and earning their praise by holding titles high over my head in glory. I do this because it’s all I’ve ever been good at. And it’s fun. I do this because I am admittedly, a glory hound. I crave the brightest lights and biggest stages. It’s why you may hear lots of things said about me, but nobody ever would call my career … mediocre. I’d list off the accomplishments you seem to think are mediocre and how they dwarf anything you’ve done but … I’d be repeating myself. My legacy is fucking secure. Anything I do now is icing on the cake. But we all love icing on our cake Cross. I need to beat you and finish this quest. I need to bring my wife home that X*Crown and say, “HONEY! WE ARE X*CROWN CHAMP ONCE AGAIN!” And then you all can look up the network listings at my little slice of home, CAR, being the headlining show on the network. I need to do that to prove to MYSELF that I am still able to be that top talent, and keep giving the fans what they paid for. I need it to make sure I can in good conscience keep putting myself out there. I may lose more often now, but I am still miles better than you or your fed. You may have been wrong about my peak. It was 2020 not 2005 … but I am years removed from the best I will be. But I’m still more than enough to hold that title again. Still more than enough to handle for Jack Diamond, Donzig, Jason Long, and Cross Recoba. I need to know I DON’T need to ride off into the sunset. TO know I don’t need the doctors to try and force me away from one of my three great loves like they did back in that Legends Showcase.
*DT stops and lowers his head. Those were the darkest of times in his life. Truly he has come so far since 2018. Since 2008! He IS the better wrestler and the better man, and he just needs to prove it.*
Death Trap: Cross, it wasn’t my choice to be placed in those past global events representing feds. They asked me, they put me forward. And I relish a challenge so why would I EVER say no? And yes, CAR is a bit of an outlier in that there are precious few wrestlers to BE put forward. But I was forced into service there after that whole Sarlacc debacle. But don’t worry. I am just selfish enough to take full advantage of those opportunities. I’m sure you think you are the perfect opponent for this match to end me. But Cross … better men have tried to end me. My concussion history is known … and hasn’t been a problem since 2018. My submission resistance, pain tolerance, and stubborn refusal to ever say die is WELL documented.
*Unless you have a bag of fucking bugs around, good luck …*
Death Trap: But my endurance, stamina, and resilience are my hallmark. Anyone who ever watched MCCW, or Fireside, or SWAT, or any global show could tell you that you will NOT be outlasting me. So you better REALLY be confident in your cheap tactics and quick pins. Because, bad leg, bad head, 5 matches in a month … none of it will stop me. No Mafioso scare tactics or threats to hide my body will stop me. I do not fear you, and I will not stop this close to the goal. I have my renewed passion and spirit. I have everything I need to make you tapout … or pass out … Garibaldi’s Guillotine may be a great tool of execution … but everything I do … is a death trap. Cross, don’t get me wrong. I am not going to look past you. I know you are good. But I know I’m that much better. On Sunday, you will learn why they call me the Main Attraction. But until then?
*DT smirks and looks right into the camera as we see he is at the front door of his hotel … the sun has set, and now his face is hidden in shadow as the lights of the entry foyer are blocked out by his hat brim*
Death Trap: Take care of yourself, man. Self-love is important. I don’t think you are so awful that it would be embarrassing to lose to you. And hey, there’s always that .01% chance! You Vegas types do adore pressing your luck and playing the odds! Talk it out man, don’t let your life get caught in the crossfire of this business! Sleep sound tonight… or just wait until Sunday … and let me put you to sleep instead …
*He turns off the camera*
