Ready For A Fight

[Nathan]

It's the night of the event, the people are gathering inside the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri as EBWF's King of the Ring is about to kick off. The cameras have yet to start rolling, the kick off match not too far away as Jim Ross enters the ring with a microphone to address the arriving crowd.

JR: King of the Ring, a time to celebrate the accomplishments and hard work of each and every EBWF Superstar. It's the one event which can really make a wrestler's career, to become the King of the Ring, it means that you fought and clawed through each and every one of your opponents to make to the proverbial top of the mountain. Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to bring out someone who knows all too well about what it takes to make it there. Please welcome, Mankind!

Wreck hits the sound system, bringing cheers from the crowd, people jumping to their feet, a mixture of shock and joy on their faces. After a couple of beats, Mankind appears on the entrance stage, dressed in his usual unevenly buttoned white shirt, leather mask, and dark brown tights. He raises his right arm into the air, hunched forward, that twisted smile on his face as he makes his way down to the ring, rolling inside. Getting to his feet, Mankind paces a bit, looking out at the fans as they are still finding their seats. He's handed a microphone and he turns to look at JR.

JR: Let me be the first to say, on behalf of all these people here, welcome back.

Mankind: Well thank you JR. It certainly is good to be back here in the EBWF!

He turns and raises his arm again as there's another pop from the crowd.

JR: Now I know there's been a lot of speculation as to why you left and what you've been doing with your time away from here, but I don't really think we need to get into all that. I will say that last time you were here you seemed to be a bit more distracted with other facets of your life going on at the time. Would you agree that's a fair statement?

Mankind: You're right JR. The last time I was in this company I didn't have my mind on the most important thing there is in our industry, and that's entertaining all of these people who lay down their hard earned money to come out here and root for their favorites. The last time I was here I let a whole lot of people down. I let myself down, JR. I decided that I needed to take some time to get my head right before I stepped back into the squared circle and I'm happy to say that the time has finally come and here I am!

He grins as another loud pop comes from the people filling the arena.


JR: Well I am glad to hear that, I really am. And you're going to have to be on your game here tonight because, folks, our kickoff tonight for the King of the Ring pay-per-view is going to feature none other than Mankind, Tyler Breeze, and Roman Reigns right here in this very ring in a triple threat match-up!

This brings another loud cheer from the growing crowd and Mankind nods, returning to his pacing back and forth.

JR: Do you think you're ready to face these two young men?

Mankind: Ready?

He shakes his head, moving faster back and forth in the ring.

Mankind: Ready?! I think the question that needs to be asked here is if those two are ready to come down here to this ring, step between those ropes and engage in a no disqualification contest with none other than the Hardcore Legend himself! They may be the young kinds on the block, JR, but this old man is far from done! He's been sitting back and watching what this industry is starting to become, how the new generation of Superstars are turning their backs on the ways and the people of the past... It makes me sick, JR. SICK!

He shakes his head violently again, stopping in a corner of the ring. His free hand holds the top rope, his head bowed down as he breaths loudly into the microphone, long hair covering his face.

Mankind: These kids today put their bodies, lives, and careers on the line for nothing more than a chance to land on some highlight reel somewhere. They come up with all of these new high-risk moves with the intention of wowing the audience, hurting themselves in the process. Well you know what?!

He throws his head up, looking around at the crowd before looking over at JR who holds up a hand.

JR: Hang on there Mick. I know what you want to say... don't say it.

Mankind looks from JR and back to the people around the ring who are starting to chant “Say it! Say it!” He smirks, raising the microphone back to his lips.

Mankind: BACK IN MY DAY!

An eruption of cheers hits all around them and he pauses a moment, looking at them all and then bowing his head again.

Mankind: In my day, JR, we put our bodies, our lives, and our careers on the line in order to make a memorable experience for all of those watching out there in the world. It didn't always take high flying antics. It didn't always take some huge super move. You know what it could all boil down to? Hang on there a minute JR, I'll show you!

Dropping down, Mankind rolls out of the ring, pulling up the apron and looking beneath the mat. A moment later he emerges again, a folded chair in hand as he rolls back into the ring with it. Back to his feet he holds it up for all to see.

Mankind: You see this?!

JR: We can see it... just be careful with that thing now.

Mankind: Careful?! JR, I'm not like these kids running around here today. I'm not afraid of a chair because I've gotten to know it damn well over the years! Anything and everything that they could possibly pull out to use against me, I've been there, done that, started the whole movement! There's nothing that scares me anymore, JR. I've survived it all. And these kids... these up and comers, they aren't afraid of this chair either. Do you know why?

JR: Well no, I can't say that I do.

Mankind: Because they haven't learned what it can do yet! They've never taken a real chair shot before!

With that, Mankind grabs onto the legs of the chair with both hands, viciously slamming it over his own head.

Mankind: They don't have any respect for this chair yet! But they will, JR. I will teach them. I will teach them all!

He unfolds the dented chair, placing it in the middle of the ring.

Mankind: Now then. You tell those kids that Mankind would like to see them in his office!

He tosses the microphone away, sitting down in the chair facing the entrance ramp as he waits for his opponents. JR looks around a moment before exiting the ring to return to the announce table.