It’s hard to believe that it’s been two years since I stood here and prepared myself to face fifteen other women in the two thousand and nineteen Royal Rumble. It’s been two years since I entered at number one and walked out the EBWF Women’s Champion. It’s been two years since the best night of my professional wrestling career. Now I stand here a new mother, a happy wife and a more determined woman than I have ever been. This division has been on its last leg for a long time. It’s been slowly fading into obscurity, dying the same death the tag division did. This division should be flourishing with all the talent lining this roster. This division should be in its prime. But, it’s not because the title doesn’t have a presence on the show. It’s not because everyone is too worried about propping up this man or that man. It’s not because everyone has there head in the damned clouds!
Raquel stepped down from the podium and walked slowly closer to the camera. She held out her hands.
The Women’s division has been in a tailspin. Our Champion, asleep at the wheel. Our general manager, essentially hibernating. But this is a wakeup call! This is the shining light to guide the way into a new tomorrow. This is me, assuring everyone that when I’m at the helm I will right this ship! I will set a course for a better future. I will lead us into a world where this Women’s Division isn’t playing back-up to the Gateway Championship! With Raquel Diaz as your Women’s Champion this division will be on par with the EBWF World Championship! We will once again be the Main Event scene! We will dominate the card in ways that can only be imagined! Merch sales will BOOM! Ticket sales will EXPLODE! Ratings will go through the roof!
Raquel held the bottom of her dress and took a seat at the edge of the stage she was standing on. The camera panned to keep her in the center of the shot.
How the two women leading this division could let it fall so far I will never understand. Look at just two of the amazing matches we’ve put on since the new year began. Match one, an instant classic, Raquel Diaz beats the number one contender Tam Nakano. There going to be talking about it in the weeks to come. There going to talk about how different things would be if the roles were reversed. There going to go on and on about killed momentum. And they should! They should talk about how different our company would be, how different the Royal Rumble would be and how different our division would be if Raquel Diaz was the number one contender. A second match, Raquel Diaz beats Becky Lynch with Winter at ringside. The Lasskicker is made to look a fool when all her threats of violence devolve into nothing. Just more lips flapping and not saying anything. Two great matches. Two defeated women. One proven victor. Because that’s what the great matches of the year have in common, ME!
Raquel picked up a slip of paper that had been conveniently placed directly next to where she seated herself.
And yet here we are. It’s time for the Royal Rumble and my name is on the list instead of competing for the title where I rightfully belong. Now I find myself looking at a list of peers that I have to compete with in order to become the number one contender. I find myself looking at a list of less deserving women who have the same opportunity. Now I sit here looking at what amounts to a HIT LIST! And unlike a usual hit-person, I’d like to talk about my targets. And we’ll start with number one herself. Alexa Bliss. I see what you’ve got going on over their girl. You’re sitting on a squad with three men. Positioning yourself as the only woman in a four-person stable. Original! Almost as original as this whole woe is me attitude you’ve got going on. THE WORLD IS AGAINST ME! Everyone is out to get Alexa Bliss. Listen here, Little Miss Bliss, no one even cares about you. The reason you’ve been put at number one isn’t because Love wants to hold you back. It’s not because Love wants you out of commission. It’s because you’ve got to start somewhere and she may as well start with the bottom of the barrel! And, that is exactly what you are. The bottom of the barrel. The lowest of the low. You’re hardly qualified to lace up the boots of half the women going out for this Rumble. If by some miracle you make it to the end of this event, it just means more and more months with Trish Stratus wearing the Women’s Championship. Yep! Everyone, including yourself, knows that you can’t beat her. Not even if she had both hands bound to the ring post.
Raquel rolled her neck.
Thankfully we can move on from Bliss as quick as she’s going to be tossed out of this match! We can move on to Mandy Rose. Unfortunately, things don’t fair much better for numero dos. But, I’ve got to be honest that I know less about Mandy Rose than I should going into this match. It’s not like me. It’s not they way my husband would have it. Looking at the list in front of me I can say the probability is good that I won’t have to worry about her still being in the ring Honestly, I’d be surprised if Bliss and Rose don’t eliminate one another before Nikki Cross even comes to the ring. Nikki Cross. Now there’s a woman to look out for! Not because she’s talented but because she’s insane. You can never turn your back on the crazy chicas! They’ll rip out your throat just to watch you bleed. That’s what you’ve got to look forward to with Nikki Cross in the ring! That’s the kind of carnage and bloodshed that can be expected by everyone who has to go up against her! That’s what Torrie Wilson is walking into when she joins the match at number four!
Raquel folded the top of the list down.
Torrie Wilson is a legend in the EBWF. She’s built a career for herself that no one in the Royal Rumble can scoff at! She’s entering as a two time winner of the Rumble. That kind of experience isn’t to be taken lightly! Not on that but Torrie Wilson has won the EBWF Women’s Championship a staggering ten times! TEN TIMES! If you’re looking for an odds on favorite, it would be hard to discount Torrie Wilson. And that’s something I’ve gone to great lengths to prepare for. I’ve sat and watched every Royal Rumble she’s been a part of, not just the two she’s watched. Let me tell you that it’s a lot of hours of reconnaissance. It’s a lot of watching Torrie Wilson be a very dominant competitor. More competent than Eva Marie and Leva Bates combined! More competent that Kacy Catanzaro or Rhonda Rousey! More intimidating than Winter and Becky Lynch working together. Torrie Wilson would be the woman to watch out for in the Royal Rumble. That is if I was sitting this one out! But I’m not. And for as great as Torrie is, I’VE GOT HER NUMBER.
Raquel ran her hand down the remaining list. She stopped and tapped the list twice.
There are some unknown quantities in this match that I’m not sure what I’m going to do about. Doctor Baker. A dentist? Really? And not like Isaac Yankem. Britt has a license to practice medicine. She’s an actual dentist. Crazy. You know, I could see how that could translate into a career in the EBWF. A lot of people fear a trip to the dentist. Sitting in that chair, all the worst possibilities run through there heads. They can hear the drill buzzing in the next room and something in their animal brain squirms.
Raquel flashed a big smile.
Dentist? They don’t scare me, look at this smile. My teeth are as perfect as the rest of me. The only thing Britt Baker is going to give me is a gold star and a prize out of her little toy chest. The only thing Britt Baker is going to give me is the damn respect I deserve. She’s going to get down on her knees and beg me to be the woman to toss her over the top rope so she can be a part of history. So that she gets a part in the bylines and highlight reels. She can be there next to Becky and Winter. Because lord knows the two of them are going to work together. They’re going to try and propel Becky’s career into the “Stratusphere”. And, it would take both of them to accomplish such a meteoric task!
Raquel sat the list down.
Becky! Listen in girly. This goes out to you and your best friend in the world. She is still that today right? Beckster. You can parade around the ring with your little plastic replica of a title belt. You can claim you were wronged. You can claim anything you want. Just like Bliss. You can talk until you’re blue in the mouth. And, that’s all you’re going to do. Because you couldn’t get the job done one on one with me could you? You couldn’t seal the deal against me because you can’t hold a candle to me. You don’t have the talent! You don’t have the tenacity! You don’t have the in-ring knowledge! Now you think that Winter is going to pick up the slack? You think that she’s going to turn the tide and make you championship material? Not likely! If Winter had the ability to make anyone championship material she sure as hell wouldn’t waste it on you! Not even a chance. If she could put someone in the title picture it would be herself. But she’s not there and she can’t get you there either. It’s time to come up with a new goal. You’re not the champion and Becky, you’re not going to be the champion.
She picked the list up and crumbled it.
It’s the Royal Rumble ladies. Lives are changed, hearts are broken, and one woman has the chance to become the EBWF Women’s Champion at WrestleMania. Let me tell you something that none of you want to hear. This Royal Rumble is going to be won by the best damn woman in this division. This Royal Rumble is going to be won by the leading lady of Kingdom. This Royal Rumble is going to be won by RAQUEL DIAZ. Frankly, there’s not a damn thing any of you can do to change the state of the EBWF Women’s Division! But I can! I can bring things to a new Golden Age of Women’s wrestling! I CAN MAKE THINGS GREAT FOR US! You don’t have to be on my side because I’m not letting a damn one of you stand in my way!
Raquel stood up and fixed her dress. She walked back to the podium and leaned against it.
Trish Stratus! I’m coming to WrestleMania with your name at the top of my hit list. Enjoy your time with my title BITCH because you’re not long for it!
The screen faded to a black screen with the Kingdom logo dead center. The typical crown spun around several times and slowly changed shapes. The new crown had a red gemstone in the center most tine.