The camera cut to a backstage area in the Scotiabank Arena, just a few hours before Warfare went live. The air felt tense. The corridor was dimly lit, the low hum of the crowd already filtering through the concrete walls. A black curtain hung in the background, the EBWF logo barely visible on a steel crate nearby. The only sound was the methodical wrapping of tape around Kyle O’Reilly’s fists.
Kyle stood alone in front of the camera, dressed in his ring gear and a sleeveless Unleashed hoodie, his expression calm but cold. He glanced up, eyes narrowing as he spoke.
Kyle O’Reilly: Toronto. King of the Ring. You didn’t think The Unleashed would sit this one out, did you?
He smirked, pulling the tape tight on his wrist.
Kyle O’Reilly: A few weeks ago, CM Punk decided to make a statement. He took out my brother, Roderick Strong. He thought he could weaken us, that he could fracture The Unleashed. Well, Punk… how did that plan turn out for you? Adam Cole beat your ass at Fallout. Took that EBWF World Championship and hoisted it high — not just for himself, but for all of us. That was justice. That was power. That was The Unleashed.
O’Reilly stepped closer to the camera now, the intensity in his eyes unmistakable.
Kyle O’Reilly: Tonight, I take Roddy’s place in the King of the Ring tournament. Not out of pity. Not out of obligation. But because this is what we do. This is how we survive. This is how we dominate. One by one, we break everyone they throw in our path.
He rolled his shoulders, loosening up.
Kyle O’Reilly: And standing in my path tonight? Damian Priest. The Gateway Champion. A former King of the Ring, who went on to become the EBWF World Champion. You’ve done it all, haven’t you, Damian? But here’s the thing about pedestals — the fall hits harder when you’re standing tall. And tonight? You’re going down.
O’Reilly paused, smirking again.
Kyle O’Reilly: Everyone’s hoping for a redemption story. Everyone wants to believe that Damian Priest is still the guy. That he can climb back to the top and do it all again. But the truth is, your time came and went. You’ve already hit your peak. Me? I’m just getting started. You’re the guy everyone expects to win. I’m the guy nobody saw coming. But that’s the problem with expectations… they get shattered real easy when I’m in the ring.
Kyle’s tone dropped — colder now, more measured.
Kyle O’Reilly: And for those of you already fantasising about what happens if I go all the way… I hear the whispers. I see the questions. “What if Kyle wins the whole tournament? What happens if he earns a shot at Cole? Will The Unleashed turn on each other?”
O’Reilly laughed, with a hint of menace.
Kyle O’Reilly: Don’t be so naive. This isn’t some fragile alliance stitched together by convenience. This is a movement. A brotherhood. A reckoning. Adam Cole becoming EBWF World Champion wasn’t the end of our story… it was just the beginning. The era of The Unleashed started at Fallout… and it continues tonight when I take out the Archer of Infamy.
O’Reilly took a breath, stepping even closer to the lens now, his voice low and final.
Kyle O’Reilly: You can call it vengeance for Roddy. You can call it a statement. Me? I call it business as usual. Damian, tonight I make an example out of you. And then I keep going. Through the tournament. Through everyone. And if that leads me to Adam Cole and the EBWF World Title?
He stared directly into the lens.
Kyle O’Reilly: Then you’ll see just how far The Unleashed are willing to go… to stay on top.
The screen faded to black.
