Pass the Torch

[Kyle]

OOC: Apologies for any typos, most of this was written on my ipod. Good luck to everyone.


Aftermath was the first Pay Per View after Wrestlemania and it would be the stage where John Cena would cash in his Path to Glory Championship title to face the Beast Incarnate, Brock Lesnar. Because the Path to Glory Championship was now vacant, a tournament would occur on the night to crown a new champion. There would be four matches and the winners would then face off to determine the new Path to Glory Champion. Once again, Ted DiBiase would be facing Kevin Nash in order to advance in the PTG Tournament. The last time the two faced was at Christmas Eve of Destruction where Nash picked up the victory before failing to win the PTG title. The tournament was mixed with a range of talent from the veterans in Nash and Syxx to the former World Champions in AJ Styles and Randy Orton to the insane in the form of Bray Wyatt. Ted had impressed in his main event spot on Warfare to earn his spot on the card. Even though he was not victorious against the World Champion he put on a good showing, and got to lay out Paul Heyman which thrilled DiBiase. Everybody in the tournament knew the significance of the championship and Ted had always made it known that he valued that title over all others. Aftermath would be broadcast from the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York City, and there was sure to be a sellout crowd.

Ted had organised to have a camera sent to his locker room so he could film his promo. His locker room was bare with only a chair being brought to the room. The chair was positioned in front of the camera and that would be where Ted would sit for his promo. He set the camera on delay so he could sit down and begin his promo.

Ted Jr: Do you know how great it feels to hit Paul Heyman? AJ Styles and any other man that's had the opportunity will say that it feels damn good to hit that man in the face. Even though I got to hit Heyman it cost me the match against the World Champion. One mistake is all it takes and that was exemplified at Warfare. On that night I put my hand up for the now vacant Path to Glory Championship and tonight I have the opportunity to take it. But like anything good in this world I have to fight for it. My first hurdle tonight comes from Kevin Nash.

Ted let out a long sigh.

Ted Jr: How many times do you come back, looking to make some form of impact but fail? Now I could go on about how you're too old or tell a torn quad joke but I don't see the point anymore. I find it rather insulting that you're back. I find it insulting that out of everyone in EBWF they couldn't find a single person on the full time roster to face me so they found you. I bet you were sitting by the phone just waiting for that call to tell you that you'd be wrestling. Just think of the mild excitement you had to be appearing at The Garden one more time. At this stage in your career every match you have has the potential to be your last. Tonight could be the night that Kevin Nash passes the torch to the new generation or will it be another night where Nash is selfish and goes for glory again. Two men in this tournament were said to be the future in your eyes, the two guys to carry this company forward. You're facing one of them. You said I was a future World Champion in the making and by defeating you and the other winners tonight and capturing the Path to Glory Championship will put me on that road to becoming a World Champion.

Ted grabbed the glass of water that was placed near his chair and took a sip before continuing.

Ted Jr: Should I defeat you Nash, I then have to contend with 3 other men to become the champion. AJ Styles will be one of those men and he knows the value of the Path to Glory Championship more than anyone else. He's used that title to fight for the championship and he wants to do it again. He and I have had some great matches together and should we be opposite each other in that ring it will be another great match. But AJ has been on a bit of a downward slope. He lost the World Title to Lesnar on his first night in the company and then he lost to Wes Ikeda at Wrestlemania.

Ted Jr: Then there's Syxx and Randy Orton who have been thrown into this tournament in hopes that it will revive their careers. For the amount of talent and the accolades he's received, what has Orton done recently? He's sat on the Tag Titles for the better part of a year while only defending them a couple of times. Syxx is the same. He's been MIA for a while and gets thrown into a nothing match at Wrestlemania. But for all the time they've seen irrelevant, everyone knows that they have the potential to be very dangerous and pose a threat in the tournament.

Ted Jr: Sandow, Barrett are filler in this tournament and they won't pose a threat at all. They're even more irrelevant than Nash at this point. Bray Wyatt is the final person in the tournament and he's a wildcard. He's a sick and twisted individual but he's been on a roll as of late. If anyone is going to pull off an upset it'll be him. But do I think he can take it all the way? Not at all.

Ted finished the glass of water that he had next to him before finishing off his promo.

Ted Jr: AJ, Syxx, Orton, Bray, Sandow and Barrett are all secondary problems here tonight. My first and prime focus is on Kevin Nash. I took him lightly at Christmas Eve of Destruction and got Powerbombed into the mat. Tonight it's not going to happen. Tonight I'm forcing you to pass the torch and I'm going to go through you before taking that PTG Championship.

The promo ended there and Ted went through his final preparation for his match tonight.

----

Before Ted's match he was standing with Renee Young for an interview. He was in his ring gear and ready to go.

Renee Young: Welcome everybody to Aftermath where tonight we'll see a new Path to Glory Champion be crowned. With me at this time is one of the participants in the tournament, Ted DiBiase. Ted, you're set to face off against Kevin Nash with the winner advancing to compete for the championship, what's your strategy going into the match?

Ted Jr: Nash is a huge guy, so I've got a speed advantage over him and I'm going to use that tonight to tire him and get the victory.

Renee Young: Last time you two met was at Christmas Eve of Destruction where Nash picked up the win. How will things be different tonight?

Ted Jr: I underestimated him and it cost me. Tonight I know what he's capable of and I know that he's still competitive at his age. But I know that he's not got enough to last the whole night. I've just got to wear him down and stick to my strategy tonight if I want to win.

Renee Young: If you are victorious you'll have to compete again against the other winners for the PTG title. How hard is it to compete in two matches in one night?

Ted Jr: It's all about stamina. Sure it's easy enough to go all out to defeat your first opponent but in the championship match you've got nothing left in the tank. It's more mental than it is physical, if you don't want it badly you're not going to win. That's where Nash and I differ. Nash comes back every couple of months and has one or two matches, he's not a full time wrestler anymore. Let's face it there's no way in hell that he'll be competing for the World Championship at all. Whereas I'm busting my ass week in and week out and I still have 10 years left in my career. I want the success that the PTG title will bring me. I want to have a lasting legacy. Every time Nash steps in that ring he disappoints himself and everyone else. He wasn't the greatest of athletes to begin with and he's not any better with age. Nash, I'm doing the gracious thing and putting you down tonight. Tonight isn't going to be a classic Nash night in The Garden. Tonight I want it more, I've got more to gain and I'm that much more hungrier than you. And that goes for everyone else in the tournament. You've got to want this title more than anything to win it. You've got to be willing to give everything you've got. That is why I'm going to win the Path to Glory Championship tonight.

Ted left Renee as she wrapped up the recording and walked away from the interview set. After a good showing against Lesnar he wanted to back it up with a win. A win would guarantee him a World Championship match that he desired. But Ted had stiff competition and knew only his best would be enough to win.