Payback

[Miles]

Phil Brooks never let any of this many relationships get in the way of his job: being a pro wrestler. So he found it very ironic, and even irritating, that when he dated someone outside of the business..it became even more of a head ache. It wasn't necessarily the fault of his current girlfriend. The blame mostly rested on the shoulders of John Cena. Who, evidently, lost his lost mind after losing the girl. He understood that love could make a person do things they regret. But his last stunt crossed the line. Assuming it was only a matter of time before it hit the internet, the whole word was going to know about this because of one jack ass who couldn't control his emotions. At some point he would get Cena in a ring and make him regret every last second of what he had done.

But that was the future. He had to focus on the present. His job and his passion. Professional wrestling. Wade Barrett was new to the company and he wasn't going to give him a bad match just because his girlfriend's ex was a moron. For the time being, he had to push aside his animosity and focus on entertaining the masses. What he sought to do every week. What he had been doing for years. And one person was not going to ruin that for him.

XXX

CM Punk stood in his locker room dressed in a black, "Best in the World" hoodie and wrung his wrists side to side. His usual ritual. His taped fists had dark red "X's" drawn on them in marker and his focus looked to be razor sharp.

Todd Grisham: "CM Punk, tonight you will be facing Wade Barrett. He is the man who took you out of the Elimination Chamber in what many considered a shock upset. We have to imagine that payback is on your mind."

CM Punk: "That would be an understatement. But it wasn't Wade Barrett's fault that I got eliminated. It was mine. I took him too lightly. The guy's a bare knuckle brawler and one half of the tag team champions. And what did I have to say about him? I said he was from England and that he had a rose tattoo. And he made me pay for it in my own hometown. Well, guess what? I've had nothing to think about but disappointing that audience and having them watch me leave that ring empty handed. It's not going to happen again.

Punk turned to the camera to speak directly into it.

CM Punk: "Wade Barrett. Thank you for the wake up call. Thank you for the kick in the ass. I plan on repaying you tonight. But, I'm not going to go out there and shake your hand. And I'm not going to raise your arm in a sign of respect. No. I'm going to go out there and tear your head clean off. I'm going to smear that crooked nose of your all over your face. You have my full and undivided attention now. This isn't going to be pretty. This isn't going to be fun. It's going to be like a starving wolf coming across a wounded rabbit. Welcome to the food chain, Wade."

Grisham gave an appreciative nod before walking off to end the scene, leaving Punk to prepare.