Since arriving to the EBWF, Solomon Crowe was fortunate enough to have had competed alongside some great opponents. Opponents that brought the best out in him, and opponents that helped put on some great matches. Ranging from Chris Jericho to Dean Ambrose. Now Ambrose was a thorn in his backside, the two had history. They go way back and it’s clear the two of them will meet again. But in a matter of weeks, The Miz was successful in being the biggest pain in the ass Crowe had encountered in the EBWF. The Miz brought something different, something Crowe enjoyed. It finally felt like Crowe had met his match. Usually Crowe wouldn’t look twice at The Miz, he had no interest in getting to know someone who surprisingly had a bigger mouth than him. But this time it was different, this time Crowe needed and wanted The Miz, or at least his Path to Glory Championship.
Luckily for Crowe, his road to the World Championship wasn’t starting from scratch, from square one. He was fortunate enough to be competing at the Sacrifice pay-per-view against Justin Gabriel, and picked up the victory. That victory over Gabriel meant Solomon Crowe would get his one on one match against The Miz at SummerSlam, with the championship title on the line. Crowe knew he was working alongside some great individuals in The Miz, Finn Balor, Ted DiBiase, Kevin Owens and Kyle O’Reilly and the build-up to their final encounter was taken up a notch thanks to Vertex, the group making Crowe’s life a living hell. Or at least trying to anyway. The last they all saw of one another, it was Crowe standing tall with all members of Vertex knocked out thanks to vicious steel chair shots.
The last time they met, The Miz made it personal by getting a certain lady from Crowe’s life involved. The Miz eventually paid for what he did but everyone that knew Crowe, knew that it was just phase one. The Miz would get everything that’s coming to him at SummerSlam. The night may be headlined by Ziggler and Zayn, but Crowe wanted to steal the show with The Miz, wanting to take each other to lengths they never knew existed.
The scene opened up in familiar territory. The same old, gloomy room designated to Solomon Crowe. Barely any lighting. Water dripping from the pipes, yet a high-end computer system was running in the background. The camera that was running managed to pick up a sound, in the background there was a tap running and whistling as well. Obviously, it was Solomon Crowe who was whistling along to The Miz’ theme music. Eventually the tap stopped and the sound of his footsteps grew closer and closer. Finally, the camera saw him enter the room. He was wearing black trousers and shoes, his black shirt was buttoned up almost to the top. The top two buttons were undone whilst his sleeves were also rolled up. He took a seat and it was clear on the camera that he made a bad effort of cleaning something like blood from his hands. The redness was still clear as he wiped his face to prepare himself. With blood now on his face also, he started to tap the table as he looked into the camera, ready to talk.
SOLOMON CROWE
Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Solomon Crowe. And I am reporting to you from a place I like to call The Crowe’s Nest. You know what this place is, I know you do. For almost a year you people have grown accustomed to the place I call home, the very place I plan every single attack and more often than not…succeed. This time it is no different. This time I am planning an attack, one which begins and concludes in New Jersey, at SummerSlam. Now at SummerSlam, my opponent – as you know – is The Miz. The Miz is the Path to Glory Champion, which means The Miz simply has to suffer. That’s the simplest way I can put it so even he can understand. I don’t do emotions, Miz. I don’t do teamwork, or clinging on to somebody close, or forming an alliance so you can all succeed. No. What I do, is win. What I do is succeed on my own. I can surround myself with the five best guys in the business if I wanted, and I have no shame in saying I will stab every one of those fuckers in the back just so I can go ahead and get what I want. Now, it’s clear…I don’t have anybody surrounding me because five other men will simply drag me down to YOUR level. I am good enough to make your life a living hell, all on my own.
That’s what I plan on doing anyway. You’ve had your fun and games. I let you, I hope you knew that. What fun is it to have a one-sided beat down? You need to make your opponent believe he stands a chance! Just when he thinks he is winning, you make the world around him crash and burn and take everything that matters the most to him, away from him. In your case, there are two things. There’s the Path to Glory Championship you’re holding on to, for me. Then we have your beloved Vertex. Both of which, will no longer be associated with you after Sunday.
Crowe looked down, he moved his chair back and picked something up from the floor. He revealed it to the camera with both hands. It was a steel chair, with a massive dent in the middle and it was stained red. He proceeded to rest it on the desk in front of him as he folded his arms over it.
SOLOMON CROWE
You see, the thing I want to know is…what kind of lengths do people go to…to get whatever they want? If a student wants to pass a test, he studies like he’s never studied before. If a person wants to buy a home or a car, he goes out and works and works until he can afford to buy the things he wants. When a fool…wants to wipe out his biggest threat before a championship match…he tries to get under his skin. He tries to get inside of his head, and break him down. He targets a family member, or a friend. The fool then attempts to make you weak, so he controls you under his thumb so you beg for him to let them go. Then heading into their championship encounter, the fool is already one step ahead. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Wrong.
That was a test, Miz. A test to see just how vicious, just how low yourself and Vertex could go. You brought out somebody very, very close to home. Kudos to you for digging so deep to bringing somebody like that to light. But you fell short of expectation. I expected a lot more, if anything I am disappointed. You didn’t show me just how much you wanted to hurt me, how much you wanted me gone from your life. All you showed me was that you wanted to win, and in this line of work…wanting to win isn’t enough. You need to ensure your opponent’s life is never the same again. My life? Oh, my life is still fantastic, because you failed in whatever it was you were trying to achieve by pulling that stunt two weeks ago.
Let me tell you something. I…am a genius. Do you honestly think, tying me up into a chair with two below-par bodyguards guarding me would be enough to stop me from getting up and leaving? Do you think they were so forceful that I had no choice but to stay down? No. I stayed, because I wanted to. I stayed because I NEEDED to see what lengths you go to, to get what it is you want. I displayed all the theatrics I needed to, to make it believable. I think it worked, based on what unfolded later on in the evening. I could have got up and left right there and snapped their spines in two on my way down to the ring before doing the same to you. Instead, I opted to wait. I wanted to wait and see just what you did to this female you claim is so close to my heart.
You want to know the lengths I’d go to, to get what I want? I would have come down to that ring and killed that bitch with my bare hands if it meant getting that Path to Glory Championship. My own, bare hands…before coming to the back, finding you and doing the exact same to you and everyone else in your little group. That is what makes me more dangerous than you. You simply cannot and will not go to the lengths I will, to get that championship and keep hold of it. I’m pretty sure you’ve seen the lengths I can go to, what I am genuinely capable of. If you want, I can turn your life upside down like I did with that jackass John Cena. I’ve destroyed my body and my brain on Dean Ambrose that I can’t tell me left from my right anymore, and I’ve had my body dragged through glass against The Rock. If I can do all of that for the World Championship, imagine the things I can actually do if it means getting back on to that stage again? You’re the key Miz, you’re the ONE who will help me get to the top again. One good performance against you, one more brutal performance which gets me fined by the company…and I’m back at the top.
Crowe then looked down at the steel chair, with a sinister smile on his face as he did. Observing it and touching the dents and laughing.
SOLOMON CROWE
I’m sure you remember what this is. This is no ordinary steel chair, this is one you’re very familiar with. So…I’m sure you’re beginning to understand the things I can do, the things I have done and the things I will do. I mean, I provided you with a glimpse of it. I orchestrated something wonderful when every single member of Vertex was laying flat on their backs, including their leader. And I was standing over your filthy, lifeless body with the Path to Glory Championship in my hands, and do you know what? I liked that feeling? I already want to feel like that again, and I will at SummerSlam. I could have escaped from that chair earlier on in the evening, ran down that ramp and killed every single one of you, then walk away with the title in my possession.
But I’m letting you keep the championship for a little while longer. The reason I am doing that is so the rest of your group look up to you. So they turn to you for inspiration, so they know what they need to do to hold championship titles in the future. I know…that if I took your championship title from you then the rest of Vertex…well…let’s just say you won’t be the undisputed leader any more. If they see their leader being dismantled, and having the championship ripped away from him, then Vertex will implode. They need you right now. They need that leadership. If I didn’t let that happen then all of you would be ripping each other’s heads off. No, I can’t let that happen. Instead, I’ll take the championship from you on Sunday, that way you will fall fair and square in front of them.
That gives me more satisfaction. To see the leader look up at those below him, showcasing just how weak, vulnerable and useless he really is. Even then, I don’t want Vertex imploding from the inside, in fact I couldn’t care less if you all imploded. What I want to do is take out The Miz. Beat him to within an inch of his life with my hands, or even this steel chair. Then…I want to drag a bloody Miz to the corner, and tie his arms on the ropes. Then he can watch me take out each and every single member of Vertex in front of his very eyes, and there will be absolutely nothing that son of a bitch can do about it.
I’ll start with Kyle O’Reilly first. I’ll teach him that he was wrong to have ever interfered in my business, plus I don’t think you’re too close to him so you probably won’t feel any remorse when his budding career comes to a painful end. Then maybe I’ll turn my attention to Finn Balor, and the same applies to him. When I snap him in half you probably won’t care about him either. Kevin Owens? I can’t snap him…clearly. I know how much he likes brutality, and blood…maybe I’ll save that lowlife for another time. I’ll have fun with him.
Then, and this one will pain you. I will force you to watch your beloved Ted DiBiase call out your name as he begs for you to help him. But you’ll be helpless, unable to move, unable to see if I gouge your fucking eyes out. You’ll hear his screams though, and everybody else will thank me for finally getting rid of his sorry ass. Then it’s just you, and me Miz. Then nobody and nothing will be able to stop me giving you a beating like never before. Then, my path to glory begins.
Crowe sat back in his seat, rolling his sleeves up again with the blood still visible on his hands.
SOLOMON CROWE
The path to glory…I just want to know Miz where you think that championship title will take you? Do you think you have an easy ticket to the World Championship? Especially when there are scumbags like me roaming around just waiting to steal the opportunity. It actually makes me feel better, it makes me feel good inside when I know I have stolen the opportunity. Earning your way to the top means nothing now, it’s no fun, ask Dolph Ziggler. That empty feeling I have inside of just vanishes, and I think the same will happen tomorrow night at SummerSlam. Every time I pound your face with my fists, I just get that feeling of satisfaction, you know? Just like you get satisfaction of sucking out the energy out of an arena every single time your music hits and you show that face of yours on the stage.
I need to ask though. What do you really believe you have to offer? Do you think you and your little group of friends put fear in all of us? Perhaps you do to everyone else, but not me. Other than that what is it you really bring to the table which shows me, which proves to me that I need to take you seriously? Because if I’m being quite honest, to me you’re just this annoying jackass who is running around with a championship, just asking to be wiped out. Well guess what? Here I am! Ready and willing to take that title right from your hands and there’s absolutely nothing you or anyone else can or will do about it.
I believe…I have a lot more to offer. I am more dangerous than you, quicker, stronger and I always go the extra mile to get what I want, but making my opponent suffer is just an added bonus. This company was at its peak when Solomon Crowe was champion. There was shock. People didn’t know what to do or who to turn to because they just couldn’t believe it. You? We can expect talk, with very little action. We can expect a champion who talks in the ring but when it comes down to fighting your opponent, he will send his dysfunctional little group to do the dirty work. Well, luckily for you I just happen to love getting my hands dirty. So I’m ready for absolutely anything and everything you bring my way tomorrow night. Whether it’s you all alone, or whether you bring out the rest of Vertex. If Vertex interfere, they will suffer. If they don’t, you will suffer. The choice is yours. Whose career do you value the most?
I think in the long run, when you’re hiding from be backstage you’ll understand just why I had to hurt you and your body so much. I think you’d begin to appreciate it, because even you will understand that this company needs a champion like me, not you. You know something? People often forget my other area of expertise. No, not mind games. No, not physical brutality. But…I have a third eye you could say. I just happen to know what everyone is doing, when they do these things and why they do it. Just like I know everything that happens in your personal life. What, you didn’t think I’d know who is special in your life? Who your family are? Where they live? Their jobs? Who they owe money too? Where they buy their groceries? You see Miz, THAT is the power I hold over people like you. You have no idea what true power is. You think controlling four other men is power? No. I have power. This whole company can be in the palm of my hand whenever I want. That’s exactly what will happen when I take the title tomorrow night. You’ll never know the meaning of true power. You can never see true power if it slapped you in the face. Even if you had it in your hands…you’d have no idea just what to do with it. Leave that to people like me.
If anything, that is what you should have done, taken a leaf out of my book and taken it a step further. Believe me, if I had a friend of yours in that seat you would be attending a funeral hours before you drop that championship to me. Instead, you were too busy pussyfooting around and trying to rile me up. You failed, and you’ll fail on Sunday. That championship is coming back to The Crowe’s Nest.
Crowe stood up, and once more the blood on his hands was visible.
SOLOMON CROWE
Oh…and this individual you thought would help get under my skin by locking lips with her in the ring…let’s just say she won’t be a problem anymore. You should have finished the job when you had the chance. Big mistake, Miz. Big mistake. Never…ever…pull a stunt like that again. If you do, we won’t be having this conversation next time. Instead it will be your blood on my hands, your body at the back and the championship on my wall. Good luck tomorrow night, Miz. My guess is you’ll probably need it.
Crowe laughed manically into the camera as he sat back into the chair and started to whistle the Vertex theme song. Spinning around his chair and stretching his fingers as the camera faded to black.
OOC: Good luck, D.J! It's been awesome working with you.