Legacies and Perception [CROSS EOD #2]
Oct 28, 2023 1:54:55 GMT -5
Mongo the Destroyer and Dave D-Flipz like this
Post by Cross Recoba on Oct 28, 2023 1:54:55 GMT -5
[27th October 2023]
[Sacramento International Airport, North Natomas, California]
The cool early morning sun barely touched Cross as he stepped off the stairs from the jet to the tarmac. The bitter October weather provided a biting breeze that stung the back of his neck. The overcoat draped over his arm would have been better served being worn but for the dozen or so yards he had to traverse, Recoba could live with the slight inconvenience.
He looked towards the town car ahead of him and saw his luggage being loaded into the trunk, the jewels of his possession residing once more inside the briefcase that never left his side when travelling. The weight of the two titles inside presented a constant reminder of what he carried both physically and metaphorically every day he remained both the HKW and X*Crown champion.
That fact had muted some of his bolder qualities, the need to stay focused on what lay ahead was laced with the knowledge that those who’d led with their ego had flamed out quickly like Caffrey and Misha to name but two. The X*Crown’s history was littered with short first reigns by wrestlers who’d reached the top and thought it meant they could stop putting in the work that had gotten them there in the first place. For Cross, the titles meant that every defence could go south if he became complacent; he'd been there when Kalmin ‘42 to 1’ Watts took away his HKW Heavyweight title…until the next show.
The muted sun reflected off the black paint of the car as Recoba reached forward to open the door, his coat being taken by the chauffeur. Leaning into the car, he was taken aback by the sight of Brandon McKay sitting in the vehicle.
“Morning, Cross. Early start but then the news never sleeps!” The sunny disposition of the journalist seemed to never sleep. “Did the Network not tell you they wanted some words about your match for an End of Days podcast special?”
They hadn’t, but Recoba had grown used to the increased demands on his time. The merchandise shoots, the appearances at commercial and charity partners’ events, and a potentially premature shoot for the Network’s November homepage, Cross was determined to eliminate the need for a reshoot. The match in Sacramento had been his focus since he beat Bloodied Fox for the title and now he knew his opponent, he recognized that he could take down one of the biggest threats for the title and put to bed the talk of his underdog status.
“Cross?” Brandon’s words snapped Recoba back into the moment.
“Three questions.” The words were short.
Sliding into the car, Recoba saw that McKay had already started to record.
“You must know that going into your first defence, you’re the underdog. Even the line at The Sands doesn’t favor you.” The words were leading as if wanting a reaction.
“I’m facing an opponent who’s only too quick to tell you his achievements, to list them out as if he were sitting in front of the Network Board for a job. What seems to be ignored is the simple truth: that if titles were awarded on the ability to shout like a toddler who learned to wipe his own ass, Death Trap would be the longest-reigning X*Crown Champion that ever lived. Instead, they’re being uttered by a man who chose his wife and whatever Doctor Chaos is in the throuple based on their ability to pander to his weak grip on reality.”
“We all heard your response to his win this weekend but the reports we’re getting from his camp is that his leg is healing at a rate far exceeding what the medical experts expected when they saw him.” McKay moved on to the next part of his agenda.
“I can tell you now, what’s released to the public and what the truth is tend to be miles apart. We all know Jason Long suffered a broken neck when he was in Ascension Wrestling but he’s been back in the ring for so long now that it’s taken as a given that it won’t be an issue. When you ask Death Trap’s camp to give you an appraisal on his leg, you’re not likely to be told that he’s hobbling, that he can’t execute the kicks and knees that make up his arsenal because where’s the gain in that? Conversely, if his injuries were recovering so quickly you’d expect the official line to downplay that. He’s keeping a tight training regime behind closed doors, he’s minimizing the chances of leaks and so logic tells me that anything I hear that’s attributed to them has a certain amount of bullshit behind it.” Cross focused on his words, tempering them to hide the irritation at the questioning.
Recoba’s phone sounded off, momentarily closing the window for McKay to immediately follow up on his reply. Opening the email, the promotional art for the next Tap Out show opened on his phone screen.
“Have you heard the interview from his camp? What do you think about how he said Tap Out is third-class as a Network promotion?”
Recoba looked up at McKay and knew, for a moment, that he’d shown his displeasure on the matter.
“If Jason Long or Jack Diamond or even Anthony Caffrey wanted to comment on Tap Out, I’d put some stock behind their words. They know what it’s like to hold the weight of your staff’s livelihoods on your shoulders. They appreciate that it isn’t like a Field of Dreams where you book the card and the fans will come. Death Trap is only ever concerned about what position he is on the show, what’s in it for him, and how much you’ll pay. I’m not saying anymore on the matter because it’s irrelevant, Dave knows he couldn’t keep up the schedule and if you want proof, look at how REIGN worked out for him. Either focus on the match or cut the interview off now.” Cross followed up his warning with the same infuriated look he’d started his reply with.
Cowed slightly, McKay diverts his gaze back to his notepad of prepared questions to see what remains.
“Are you worried that you could join the likes of Misha Constantine, Adrien Cochrane and even Death Trap in the poisoned club of those who failed at their first defence?”
Recoba’s demeanour turned from anger to one of focus, the need to paint a professional image overriding his true feelings.
“I’ve seen what happens when you get comfortable with a title, you take the status and the victory for granted and it trips you up. The X*Crown lies with me right now, when we get to the main event in the Golden 1 Center I know that everything I need to do, that I need to happen to retain the title, resides with me and no one else in the arena.”
McKay nodded along as he made notes.
“I know we’re nearly at the arena but do you mind giving us a quick ‘This is Cross Recoba and you’re listening to the Official XHF Podcast with Brandon McKay’ soundbite?”
“I told you three questions, I gave you four. Anything else you need, go through my people after the press conference later.”
Brandon’s hopeful look turned to one of resignation as he prepared for the rest of the journey in silence.
[27th October 2023]
[Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California]
The XHF crew had already begun setting up the arena ahead of Sunday’s production. With only JROK’s ‘Bobbing for Apples’ deathmatch to cater for beyond the straight-forward; only the ring and stage being set-up stood between them and a rare Saturday of a show weekend off.
The cameras caught Cross Recoba sitting in the nosebleeds of the lower level of the arena, taking in the stage for his first X*Crown title defence, the belt laying in his lap.
“Atwater was right when he said ‘perception is reality’, DT. How else do you begin to unpack any of what you said? We’re going into a match for a title that you lust for, you yearn for and it seems like you’d rather raise the matter of who sold the tickets for the event! Is that where your mind is going to be when that bell rings, Dave, on whether or not you’re getting a fair share of the house? But that’s just par for the course when you try to align your view of the world with everything else.”
In the background, the ring ropes tightened and inaudible chatter between the crew rang through as Cross paused.
“That you see how I came into possession of the title not as me winning it, but instead Fox choosing to lose it, just shows you how out of touch with the world you truly are. It’s the kind of lazy observation that a man who knows he holds worthless cards would make; much like the way you try and throw Italian-American stereotypes at me because you’re creatively bankrupt. You’d expect something like that from Rat Bastard but from an Italian-American who prides himself on his intelligence? It screams of a man who either can’t or won’t put the time in to getting inside his opponent’s head. The fact you still harp on about Dakota tells me it’s a mix of both.”
Fox did the same attack with far more finesse and class than you.
“Maybe that’s why you seem to swing from one contradiction to the next as you try and convince yourself that anything you say is true. Why leave mere minutes between asking what Call to Arms is before bringing up that Mistress Discipline was the one to put me away at the same event?”
Then again, she referred to it as ‘our’ title and there was me thinking that the era of X*Crown Trios champions was over.
“It’s that same selective memory that makes you say idiotic statements like ‘nobody remembers the Rumbles’ and then reeling off the numerous facts and figures that tell me, DT, that you’re desperate to cling onto any foothold you can that might say you matter on the Network in 2023.”
A tag team great I’ll allow you, but on your own? Not a chance.
“This whole push to be seen as a legend, when literally no one else is even getting behind it or uttered it before, just seems to be the ramblings of a man who knows his time in the ring is coming to a close. You bring up that you’re the only person to win the X*Crown fifteen years apart like it’s some badge of honor but do you know how I read it, Dave? That everyone from that time period retired, they didn’t have to hang on like a Desparado, they’d made their money and name and didn’t suffer from the crippling insecurity that haunts you, DT. You can talk about how I was stuck in the shadow of Chris Card or Dakota Jennings but you? You keep making yours longer, what was Reeshi and Chris Kanyon has become Dylan, Caffrey, and Zoran.”
Why does no one remember Spike won the Rumble? It was 2006, an entire generation ago.
“It’s why you make the pathetic claim that it’s still Death Trap’s show, you’ve never been ‘the guy’, Dave, just an occasional player. End of Days is your show like Supremacy 2020 was or how your big match against Fox was the DT Special!”
But it’s Jason Long who chokes.
“You even advertise your mediocrity with your vain attempts to rattle off your achievements like it does anything but weaken your claim to be a legend. Do you know what actual legends do? They let others do the talking when it comes to their accolades. You didn’t need to be told that Jordan’s Bulls or Brady and Belichick’s Patriots were the best, everyone else told you for them. But please, spend your time listing off every title you’ve held and while you’re at it, don’t forget your Bronze Swimming Certificate and the Scout badges you amassed in school because Lord knows you need to hear it more than any of us do.”
Even with all of those titles that we’re meant to care about, you limped through the tournament.
“You keep telling yourself that you’re a legend who’s adored by the fans.” The determination in Recoba’s voice grew with each sentence. “They’re the ones that will push you over the edge you say but back here in the nosebleeds, they’ll be able to watch the big-screen above the ring and see every shortcut, every missed breath, and every mistake you make in our match, Dave. They’re the ones you’ve got to make care about you and convince them that you’re not just a nostalgia act that their parents said was worth watching in their day.”
Cross let the last two words breathe out in the open.
“You’re reaching a point of saturation for the novelty of nostalgia, how long until those cheers that come from people being told you once held this belt of mine fade into apathy? You were hardly headlining every REIGN event you were on, rarely getting important matches when Donzig and Steve Awesome were available. When it comes to you being a regular fixture, you can’t hack it anymore and the romantic notion of Death Trap the battling veteran loses its lustre with every appearance.”
Like a cubic zirconia that lost its sparkle.
“It’s why you have to massage the truth to an inch of its life. I already pointed out that you were gifted the shot against Caffrey to start your last X*Crown run, DT, but how about how you won it? We never really hear much about that, never get told that like Mistress Discipline and Doctor Chaos, it was Timeless and a steel chair that gifted you that run. Perhaps that’s why you didn’t make a sound until your ill-fated defence came around, you knew you didn’t deserve that title.”
Recoba reflexively ran his hand over the X*Crown belt.
“How about why you didn’t even make the card for Night of Champions? Everyone knows that you couldn’t have got in on the X*Crown match but isn’t it odd how you haven’t found a company that actually specializes in wrestling? It’s as if they know you’d be a white elephant, a pain to have on the roster but equally, too expensive to cut loose when the extremely finite gains had been taken from you. If you needed reminding, I put in a Match of the Night performance at that show because that’s what it takes now to be considered for this title. You can claim that you can still do that but what can I base it on if not the tournament this month? Use four matches where you only emphatically won one unassisted to make my judgement that you’re an obligation, not a peer.”
But please, tell me more about how you’re a role model, a legend, the apple of every fan’s eye.
“I’ve put down Rat Bastard, Steve Awesome, Bloodied Fox, Subject #42, and Michael Storm and outside of the latter, every one of them has had more impressive reigns than your own. But, I’ll put you in good company for once when I make the easy half-dozen of X*Crown Champion victories and put you away in Sacramento, DT.”
Maybe being part of that club might dampen your blinkered perception of the world.
“When we get to brass tacks, Dave, for someone who claims to be responsible for bringing the house, you’ve done a shitty job of selling your ‘landmark’ End of Days win. You’ve spent that long running down Jason Long and Jack Diamond, of minimizing their achievements and saying that they’re past their peak, that it almost seems like you didn’t beat much at all. The fact that you had to have such a large helping hand from your ‘support squad’ actually makes your performances all the weaker for your words. One positive, you’ve proven Caffrey wrong: he said your first End of Days tournament win was the weakest field he’d seen but after hearing your verdict on your opponents, I think you’ve just made the case that this year was even poorer!”
If people wanted to watch a delusional forty-something beat up nobodies they’d hunt down Bum Fights on the internet.
“Then again, you’ve done the same trick to me. Made me out to be this helpless idiot that lucked his way into the top position on the XHF Network, how the idea of you not beating me is laughable, that I’d struggle to even keep up with someone of your caliber. How could you not win, Death Trap, because if we take you at your word, I’m a scrub. I’m so far beneath your natural talent that I don’t even deserve to be on the same card, I should be taking this time to tell you how grateful I am that someone like Death Trap would deign to fight me. Which is to say, when you lose just how much damage has the Death Trap brand inflicted on itself?”
Thankfully, the Death Trap brand hasn’t troubled most people’s minds since Borat impressions were the height of comedy.
“Perhaps though, the most nonsensical delusion was when you called me bland for wanting a straight-up wrestling match. Forgive me if I’m wrong, Dave, but don’t you bring up how you’re the best technical wrestler on the Network at every opportunity? Don’t you have a history of concussions? Why would someone who can actually wrestle want to subject themselves to the endless and ridiculous matches that the Network has put on over the years? It’s almost as if I don’t want to needlessly shorten my career, as if I could live without experiencing an Exploding Landmine Lego Deathmatch. I’d call that smart, DT, but if you want to see it as bland then we can revisit it after you’ve watched the highlights in a week or so.”
I fully intend to aggravate your history of brain-shaking concussions and in defeat, it’s not like you’ll remember much of the match.
“I don’t need to mentally torture you like, Fox. I don’t need the threat of maiming you like Zoran. All I need is a ring and a referee to show you why you’re a relic to the Network. Why Tap Out mystifies you and is seen as beneath you because what you see as wrestling isn’t what it is now, it’s old age, DT. Why no company is clamoring to put you onto their books because, like in REIGN, you can’t go every show like your brain tells you it can. Why the Rumble was your best shot to get your hands on my belt this year because you can hide, you can recover and stay out of the action.”
I bet you’d be a natural at competitive hide-and-seek, Death Trap. There, I’ve found a career more suitable to your mileage and vintage.
“Your camp can claim that your leg’s fully healed but you’re really only lying to yourself. I’ll be testing out the theory and I’m fully expecting to see a literal crutch ironically being held by the two that got you this far, Dave. Then there’s your neck, if Rat Bastard injured your neck so badly you had to vacate the title then I owe you some payback on Jason Long’s behalf.”
You can decide if it’s the laziness of calling yourself the Icon Killer or if it’s because you wasted my time telling me your asinine thoughts on Tap Out that get you the receipt.
“You’ve never been one for Wolverine level healing, Dave, but while your mind might tell you that you feel thirty, your joints and bones won’t lie to you, I won’t lie to you either. When that bell rings, DT, I’m not facing Death Trap the record-holder of most trivial achievements, I’m facing a threat to my position on the Network. You could be Joe Nobody, Bloodied Fox, or Copycat and that fact remains unchanged. You’re trying to damage my brand, damage my future earnings and for that, I intend to show you why I’m the XHF Box Office Smash.”
Cross leant into the camera.
“I intend to take this match and use it as a reference point for every wrestler on the Network who thinks they can take this X*Crown title away from me! I’m more agile than you, able to take more risks than you and based on what I’ve heard this month, I’ve got five yards on you upstairs! You can have your historic moment though, Dave, our match will be the definitive moment when every fan, peer, and pundit says the same thing: Death Trap’s been left behind!”
[27th October 2023]
[Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California]
The press conference was kicking into gear, the media buzz hushed as a Network representative took the stage. Behind the curtain, there was nothing hushed going on, PA’s scurried across one another as they set out to solve problems big and small for their paymasters. Production crew members worked together to try and get the presentation of the event to translate to easy mainstream coverage and a wild energy emitted from a locust-like swarm of fans who’d managed to get backstage for the occasion.
One such fan held his phone up above his head on a selfie-stick as he walked, a CAR tee clearly in shot as he spoke into the camera.
“I’m backstage, guys, ask me anything! I’ve seen no end of XHF Stars and I’m willing to bring you the access to get your questions across to them! We could find out whether Marty has a Netflix account or what Steve Awesome’s next movie is go-”
The broadcast was momentarily interrupted as the camera showed nothing but the ceiling.
“Here’s a scoop for you all.” Cross was emphatic in his words. “This Sunday you’re going to see why Death Trap sticks to driving in CAR. Why he’s the last person to realize that he can’t wrestle the schedule needed to even challenge for the X*Crown, let alone win it, without his body breaking down! This Sunday, I’m going to take whatever small part of his self-imagined mythology is true and destroy it so that you see Death Trap for what he really is: a middle of the road talent bitter that his biggest success had to be shared with his tag-team partner! This Sunday, I show the world why Cross Recoba IS the XHF X*Crown Champion!”
With that, Recoba dropped the equipment to the floor. As the fan scurried to recover it, he jerked the camera wildly as he lifted it back to it’s ‘rightful position’ above his head. In the background, the instruction to Recoba is clear.
“Champ, they’re ready for you.”
[Sacramento International Airport, North Natomas, California]
The cool early morning sun barely touched Cross as he stepped off the stairs from the jet to the tarmac. The bitter October weather provided a biting breeze that stung the back of his neck. The overcoat draped over his arm would have been better served being worn but for the dozen or so yards he had to traverse, Recoba could live with the slight inconvenience.
He looked towards the town car ahead of him and saw his luggage being loaded into the trunk, the jewels of his possession residing once more inside the briefcase that never left his side when travelling. The weight of the two titles inside presented a constant reminder of what he carried both physically and metaphorically every day he remained both the HKW and X*Crown champion.
That fact had muted some of his bolder qualities, the need to stay focused on what lay ahead was laced with the knowledge that those who’d led with their ego had flamed out quickly like Caffrey and Misha to name but two. The X*Crown’s history was littered with short first reigns by wrestlers who’d reached the top and thought it meant they could stop putting in the work that had gotten them there in the first place. For Cross, the titles meant that every defence could go south if he became complacent; he'd been there when Kalmin ‘42 to 1’ Watts took away his HKW Heavyweight title…until the next show.
The muted sun reflected off the black paint of the car as Recoba reached forward to open the door, his coat being taken by the chauffeur. Leaning into the car, he was taken aback by the sight of Brandon McKay sitting in the vehicle.
“Morning, Cross. Early start but then the news never sleeps!” The sunny disposition of the journalist seemed to never sleep. “Did the Network not tell you they wanted some words about your match for an End of Days podcast special?”
They hadn’t, but Recoba had grown used to the increased demands on his time. The merchandise shoots, the appearances at commercial and charity partners’ events, and a potentially premature shoot for the Network’s November homepage, Cross was determined to eliminate the need for a reshoot. The match in Sacramento had been his focus since he beat Bloodied Fox for the title and now he knew his opponent, he recognized that he could take down one of the biggest threats for the title and put to bed the talk of his underdog status.
“Cross?” Brandon’s words snapped Recoba back into the moment.
“Three questions.” The words were short.
Sliding into the car, Recoba saw that McKay had already started to record.
“You must know that going into your first defence, you’re the underdog. Even the line at The Sands doesn’t favor you.” The words were leading as if wanting a reaction.
“I’m facing an opponent who’s only too quick to tell you his achievements, to list them out as if he were sitting in front of the Network Board for a job. What seems to be ignored is the simple truth: that if titles were awarded on the ability to shout like a toddler who learned to wipe his own ass, Death Trap would be the longest-reigning X*Crown Champion that ever lived. Instead, they’re being uttered by a man who chose his wife and whatever Doctor Chaos is in the throuple based on their ability to pander to his weak grip on reality.”
“We all heard your response to his win this weekend but the reports we’re getting from his camp is that his leg is healing at a rate far exceeding what the medical experts expected when they saw him.” McKay moved on to the next part of his agenda.
“I can tell you now, what’s released to the public and what the truth is tend to be miles apart. We all know Jason Long suffered a broken neck when he was in Ascension Wrestling but he’s been back in the ring for so long now that it’s taken as a given that it won’t be an issue. When you ask Death Trap’s camp to give you an appraisal on his leg, you’re not likely to be told that he’s hobbling, that he can’t execute the kicks and knees that make up his arsenal because where’s the gain in that? Conversely, if his injuries were recovering so quickly you’d expect the official line to downplay that. He’s keeping a tight training regime behind closed doors, he’s minimizing the chances of leaks and so logic tells me that anything I hear that’s attributed to them has a certain amount of bullshit behind it.” Cross focused on his words, tempering them to hide the irritation at the questioning.
Recoba’s phone sounded off, momentarily closing the window for McKay to immediately follow up on his reply. Opening the email, the promotional art for the next Tap Out show opened on his phone screen.
“Have you heard the interview from his camp? What do you think about how he said Tap Out is third-class as a Network promotion?”
Recoba looked up at McKay and knew, for a moment, that he’d shown his displeasure on the matter.
“If Jason Long or Jack Diamond or even Anthony Caffrey wanted to comment on Tap Out, I’d put some stock behind their words. They know what it’s like to hold the weight of your staff’s livelihoods on your shoulders. They appreciate that it isn’t like a Field of Dreams where you book the card and the fans will come. Death Trap is only ever concerned about what position he is on the show, what’s in it for him, and how much you’ll pay. I’m not saying anymore on the matter because it’s irrelevant, Dave knows he couldn’t keep up the schedule and if you want proof, look at how REIGN worked out for him. Either focus on the match or cut the interview off now.” Cross followed up his warning with the same infuriated look he’d started his reply with.
Cowed slightly, McKay diverts his gaze back to his notepad of prepared questions to see what remains.
“Are you worried that you could join the likes of Misha Constantine, Adrien Cochrane and even Death Trap in the poisoned club of those who failed at their first defence?”
Recoba’s demeanour turned from anger to one of focus, the need to paint a professional image overriding his true feelings.
“I’ve seen what happens when you get comfortable with a title, you take the status and the victory for granted and it trips you up. The X*Crown lies with me right now, when we get to the main event in the Golden 1 Center I know that everything I need to do, that I need to happen to retain the title, resides with me and no one else in the arena.”
McKay nodded along as he made notes.
“I know we’re nearly at the arena but do you mind giving us a quick ‘This is Cross Recoba and you’re listening to the Official XHF Podcast with Brandon McKay’ soundbite?”
“I told you three questions, I gave you four. Anything else you need, go through my people after the press conference later.”
Brandon’s hopeful look turned to one of resignation as he prepared for the rest of the journey in silence.
*****
[Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California]
The XHF crew had already begun setting up the arena ahead of Sunday’s production. With only JROK’s ‘Bobbing for Apples’ deathmatch to cater for beyond the straight-forward; only the ring and stage being set-up stood between them and a rare Saturday of a show weekend off.
The cameras caught Cross Recoba sitting in the nosebleeds of the lower level of the arena, taking in the stage for his first X*Crown title defence, the belt laying in his lap.
“Atwater was right when he said ‘perception is reality’, DT. How else do you begin to unpack any of what you said? We’re going into a match for a title that you lust for, you yearn for and it seems like you’d rather raise the matter of who sold the tickets for the event! Is that where your mind is going to be when that bell rings, Dave, on whether or not you’re getting a fair share of the house? But that’s just par for the course when you try to align your view of the world with everything else.”
In the background, the ring ropes tightened and inaudible chatter between the crew rang through as Cross paused.
“That you see how I came into possession of the title not as me winning it, but instead Fox choosing to lose it, just shows you how out of touch with the world you truly are. It’s the kind of lazy observation that a man who knows he holds worthless cards would make; much like the way you try and throw Italian-American stereotypes at me because you’re creatively bankrupt. You’d expect something like that from Rat Bastard but from an Italian-American who prides himself on his intelligence? It screams of a man who either can’t or won’t put the time in to getting inside his opponent’s head. The fact you still harp on about Dakota tells me it’s a mix of both.”
Fox did the same attack with far more finesse and class than you.
“Maybe that’s why you seem to swing from one contradiction to the next as you try and convince yourself that anything you say is true. Why leave mere minutes between asking what Call to Arms is before bringing up that Mistress Discipline was the one to put me away at the same event?”
Then again, she referred to it as ‘our’ title and there was me thinking that the era of X*Crown Trios champions was over.
“It’s that same selective memory that makes you say idiotic statements like ‘nobody remembers the Rumbles’ and then reeling off the numerous facts and figures that tell me, DT, that you’re desperate to cling onto any foothold you can that might say you matter on the Network in 2023.”
A tag team great I’ll allow you, but on your own? Not a chance.
“This whole push to be seen as a legend, when literally no one else is even getting behind it or uttered it before, just seems to be the ramblings of a man who knows his time in the ring is coming to a close. You bring up that you’re the only person to win the X*Crown fifteen years apart like it’s some badge of honor but do you know how I read it, Dave? That everyone from that time period retired, they didn’t have to hang on like a Desparado, they’d made their money and name and didn’t suffer from the crippling insecurity that haunts you, DT. You can talk about how I was stuck in the shadow of Chris Card or Dakota Jennings but you? You keep making yours longer, what was Reeshi and Chris Kanyon has become Dylan, Caffrey, and Zoran.”
Why does no one remember Spike won the Rumble? It was 2006, an entire generation ago.
“It’s why you make the pathetic claim that it’s still Death Trap’s show, you’ve never been ‘the guy’, Dave, just an occasional player. End of Days is your show like Supremacy 2020 was or how your big match against Fox was the DT Special!”
But it’s Jason Long who chokes.
“You even advertise your mediocrity with your vain attempts to rattle off your achievements like it does anything but weaken your claim to be a legend. Do you know what actual legends do? They let others do the talking when it comes to their accolades. You didn’t need to be told that Jordan’s Bulls or Brady and Belichick’s Patriots were the best, everyone else told you for them. But please, spend your time listing off every title you’ve held and while you’re at it, don’t forget your Bronze Swimming Certificate and the Scout badges you amassed in school because Lord knows you need to hear it more than any of us do.”
Even with all of those titles that we’re meant to care about, you limped through the tournament.
“You keep telling yourself that you’re a legend who’s adored by the fans.” The determination in Recoba’s voice grew with each sentence. “They’re the ones that will push you over the edge you say but back here in the nosebleeds, they’ll be able to watch the big-screen above the ring and see every shortcut, every missed breath, and every mistake you make in our match, Dave. They’re the ones you’ve got to make care about you and convince them that you’re not just a nostalgia act that their parents said was worth watching in their day.”
Cross let the last two words breathe out in the open.
“You’re reaching a point of saturation for the novelty of nostalgia, how long until those cheers that come from people being told you once held this belt of mine fade into apathy? You were hardly headlining every REIGN event you were on, rarely getting important matches when Donzig and Steve Awesome were available. When it comes to you being a regular fixture, you can’t hack it anymore and the romantic notion of Death Trap the battling veteran loses its lustre with every appearance.”
Like a cubic zirconia that lost its sparkle.
“It’s why you have to massage the truth to an inch of its life. I already pointed out that you were gifted the shot against Caffrey to start your last X*Crown run, DT, but how about how you won it? We never really hear much about that, never get told that like Mistress Discipline and Doctor Chaos, it was Timeless and a steel chair that gifted you that run. Perhaps that’s why you didn’t make a sound until your ill-fated defence came around, you knew you didn’t deserve that title.”
Recoba reflexively ran his hand over the X*Crown belt.
“How about why you didn’t even make the card for Night of Champions? Everyone knows that you couldn’t have got in on the X*Crown match but isn’t it odd how you haven’t found a company that actually specializes in wrestling? It’s as if they know you’d be a white elephant, a pain to have on the roster but equally, too expensive to cut loose when the extremely finite gains had been taken from you. If you needed reminding, I put in a Match of the Night performance at that show because that’s what it takes now to be considered for this title. You can claim that you can still do that but what can I base it on if not the tournament this month? Use four matches where you only emphatically won one unassisted to make my judgement that you’re an obligation, not a peer.”
But please, tell me more about how you’re a role model, a legend, the apple of every fan’s eye.
“I’ve put down Rat Bastard, Steve Awesome, Bloodied Fox, Subject #42, and Michael Storm and outside of the latter, every one of them has had more impressive reigns than your own. But, I’ll put you in good company for once when I make the easy half-dozen of X*Crown Champion victories and put you away in Sacramento, DT.”
Maybe being part of that club might dampen your blinkered perception of the world.
“When we get to brass tacks, Dave, for someone who claims to be responsible for bringing the house, you’ve done a shitty job of selling your ‘landmark’ End of Days win. You’ve spent that long running down Jason Long and Jack Diamond, of minimizing their achievements and saying that they’re past their peak, that it almost seems like you didn’t beat much at all. The fact that you had to have such a large helping hand from your ‘support squad’ actually makes your performances all the weaker for your words. One positive, you’ve proven Caffrey wrong: he said your first End of Days tournament win was the weakest field he’d seen but after hearing your verdict on your opponents, I think you’ve just made the case that this year was even poorer!”
If people wanted to watch a delusional forty-something beat up nobodies they’d hunt down Bum Fights on the internet.
“Then again, you’ve done the same trick to me. Made me out to be this helpless idiot that lucked his way into the top position on the XHF Network, how the idea of you not beating me is laughable, that I’d struggle to even keep up with someone of your caliber. How could you not win, Death Trap, because if we take you at your word, I’m a scrub. I’m so far beneath your natural talent that I don’t even deserve to be on the same card, I should be taking this time to tell you how grateful I am that someone like Death Trap would deign to fight me. Which is to say, when you lose just how much damage has the Death Trap brand inflicted on itself?”
Thankfully, the Death Trap brand hasn’t troubled most people’s minds since Borat impressions were the height of comedy.
“Perhaps though, the most nonsensical delusion was when you called me bland for wanting a straight-up wrestling match. Forgive me if I’m wrong, Dave, but don’t you bring up how you’re the best technical wrestler on the Network at every opportunity? Don’t you have a history of concussions? Why would someone who can actually wrestle want to subject themselves to the endless and ridiculous matches that the Network has put on over the years? It’s almost as if I don’t want to needlessly shorten my career, as if I could live without experiencing an Exploding Landmine Lego Deathmatch. I’d call that smart, DT, but if you want to see it as bland then we can revisit it after you’ve watched the highlights in a week or so.”
I fully intend to aggravate your history of brain-shaking concussions and in defeat, it’s not like you’ll remember much of the match.
“I don’t need to mentally torture you like, Fox. I don’t need the threat of maiming you like Zoran. All I need is a ring and a referee to show you why you’re a relic to the Network. Why Tap Out mystifies you and is seen as beneath you because what you see as wrestling isn’t what it is now, it’s old age, DT. Why no company is clamoring to put you onto their books because, like in REIGN, you can’t go every show like your brain tells you it can. Why the Rumble was your best shot to get your hands on my belt this year because you can hide, you can recover and stay out of the action.”
I bet you’d be a natural at competitive hide-and-seek, Death Trap. There, I’ve found a career more suitable to your mileage and vintage.
“Your camp can claim that your leg’s fully healed but you’re really only lying to yourself. I’ll be testing out the theory and I’m fully expecting to see a literal crutch ironically being held by the two that got you this far, Dave. Then there’s your neck, if Rat Bastard injured your neck so badly you had to vacate the title then I owe you some payback on Jason Long’s behalf.”
You can decide if it’s the laziness of calling yourself the Icon Killer or if it’s because you wasted my time telling me your asinine thoughts on Tap Out that get you the receipt.
“You’ve never been one for Wolverine level healing, Dave, but while your mind might tell you that you feel thirty, your joints and bones won’t lie to you, I won’t lie to you either. When that bell rings, DT, I’m not facing Death Trap the record-holder of most trivial achievements, I’m facing a threat to my position on the Network. You could be Joe Nobody, Bloodied Fox, or Copycat and that fact remains unchanged. You’re trying to damage my brand, damage my future earnings and for that, I intend to show you why I’m the XHF Box Office Smash.”
Cross leant into the camera.
“I intend to take this match and use it as a reference point for every wrestler on the Network who thinks they can take this X*Crown title away from me! I’m more agile than you, able to take more risks than you and based on what I’ve heard this month, I’ve got five yards on you upstairs! You can have your historic moment though, Dave, our match will be the definitive moment when every fan, peer, and pundit says the same thing: Death Trap’s been left behind!”
*****
[27th October 2023]
[Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California]
The press conference was kicking into gear, the media buzz hushed as a Network representative took the stage. Behind the curtain, there was nothing hushed going on, PA’s scurried across one another as they set out to solve problems big and small for their paymasters. Production crew members worked together to try and get the presentation of the event to translate to easy mainstream coverage and a wild energy emitted from a locust-like swarm of fans who’d managed to get backstage for the occasion.
One such fan held his phone up above his head on a selfie-stick as he walked, a CAR tee clearly in shot as he spoke into the camera.
“I’m backstage, guys, ask me anything! I’ve seen no end of XHF Stars and I’m willing to bring you the access to get your questions across to them! We could find out whether Marty has a Netflix account or what Steve Awesome’s next movie is go-”
The broadcast was momentarily interrupted as the camera showed nothing but the ceiling.
“Here’s a scoop for you all.” Cross was emphatic in his words. “This Sunday you’re going to see why Death Trap sticks to driving in CAR. Why he’s the last person to realize that he can’t wrestle the schedule needed to even challenge for the X*Crown, let alone win it, without his body breaking down! This Sunday, I’m going to take whatever small part of his self-imagined mythology is true and destroy it so that you see Death Trap for what he really is: a middle of the road talent bitter that his biggest success had to be shared with his tag-team partner! This Sunday, I show the world why Cross Recoba IS the XHF X*Crown Champion!”
With that, Recoba dropped the equipment to the floor. As the fan scurried to recover it, he jerked the camera wildly as he lifted it back to it’s ‘rightful position’ above his head. In the background, the instruction to Recoba is clear.
“Champ, they’re ready for you.”
*****
