Mutual Respect

[Kyle]

OOC: Apologies for any grammatical errors or spell mistakes. This was written on my ipod. Good luck to Will and as usual any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

It had all come down to this. Over a year of patiently waiting and biding his time. A year of ups and downs, wins and losses, triumphs and fails. It had all come down to Monday night. Ted DiBiase squaring off against 2 time World Champion and former Path to Glory Champion, AJ Styles. It was well documented the history between the two men, former allies, former enemies and former clients of Paul Heyman. Whilst being clients of Paul Heyman, the two didn't have any contact with each other. They pursued their own goals, and AJ reached his by becoming the World Champion for a second time. Ted had yet to achieve that feat but it was constantly on his mind. Tonight was not about the World Championship, it was about the Path to Glory Championship. Whoever held that Championship was guaranteed a World Championship match at any time. Both men knew the importance of this and were going to kill the other man to walk away with the championship.

Ted spent a few days at home, resting up and spending time with his son and wife. The hectic schedule was always going to be hard with a young family but he knew that his work would provide for his family. Ted tried to maximise the amount of time he spent with young Tate, making sure that they had a good relationship. It was too early to know if he'd follow in the family business, but if he didn't Ted would support him fully. Instead of arriving in New York early to have a sit down interview, Ted had agreed to have Jim Ross visit his home and interview him there.

At around midday, Jim arrived with a camera man at Ted's house. Ted quickly escorted the two to the living room where the interview would take place so the camera man could set up. While the camera man was setting up, Ted and Jim conversed, taking some time to talk about things that weren't related to wrestling for once. There wasn't much time for them to do so as the camera man had set up quickly. Ted directed Jim to the living room before pouring himself a glass of water and sitting down.

Jim Ross: First off I'd like to thank you for opening up your home to me for this interview.

Ted Jr: It's a pleasure to have you here, Jim.

Jim Ross: Well let's begin now. On Warfare, you will be competing against AJ Styles in the final match of the Path to Glory Championship Tournament. The winner will be crowned the new Path to Glory Champion. How do you see your chances in this match?

Ted Jr: It won't be easy, everyone knows just how good AJ is. He's won the World Championship before and he's cashed in the Path to Glory Championship before. He knows just how important this title is now and he's not going to go down without a fight. I'll be ready on Monday and it will certainly be a match that you'll have to watch.

Jim Ross: Your history with AJ has been long and colourful. You've gone from allies, to enemies fighting over the World Championship to clients of Paul Heyman. Does this give you any competitive edge going into this match?

Ted Jr: I wouldn't say so. Through everything that we've gone through we know what the other is capable of. We both know equal amounts about the other.

Jim Ross: AJ has already used the Path to Glory Championship to gain a World Championship match. Is timing important in cashing in the title?

Ted Jr: Absolutely. AJ screwed up and failed when he cashed in the title. He lost to Orton, something that I didn't do last time we met. You have to choose the right time to cash in, but if you take too long someone might take the title from you before you do.

Jim Ross: Should you win on Monday, when would you look at cashing in?

Ted Jr: When the opportunity presents itself. I could hold onto the title until Wrestlemania next year and cash it in then. It's all about the best time for me.

Jim Ross: One of your memorable encounters with AJ Styles was at the King of the Ring PPV where you faced off in singles action. On that night you were unsuccessful, how will you change it around on Monday?

Ted Jr: You're right. I did lose to AJ then. Matter of fact, I've lost to AJ more than I've beaten him. I'm not hiding from that fact and he knows it as well. But I push everyone that steps in that ring with me to the limit. It was 2 years since we had that match and I still see the look on his face when I kept kicking out. Two years on and we've both changed, but one thing remains the same. We both want success. I don't hide from my losses and I know that from those losses is the secret to success. This match is not a grudge match, it's not personal, it's just business. It's two guys, two of EBWF's best, fighting it out in the middle of that ring. I don't need to belittle him now or insult him now. I just need to beat him. That's where the pain will be felt. That's what he's going to remember. He's not going to remember petty remarks. He's only going to remember what happens when that bell rings and we're standing opposite each other. Every time we're in that ring, a match of the year contender is made. So whoever wins on Monday night is going to earn it. There are no easy wins now and there aren't going to be in the future.

Jim Ross: Do you think, with AJ holding victories over you, that he might think that the result is a forgone conclusion?

Ted Jr: I hope he does. I hope he underestimates me. I hope he thinks that I'm an easy beat. Because if he does take me lightly and he does think I'm an easy beat he's going to feel exactly what Nash and Wyatt felt. He's going to experience that crushing defeat and he's going to find himself coming up short.

Jim Ross: And one final question, should you win who would you like to face for the World Championship?

Ted Jr: Right now Cena is the champion. He knows a thing or two about keeping titles. As soon as I win the Path to Glory Championship I'm putting Cena and everyone else on notice. My goal has remained the same since the day I entered this company. I want to be the best and right now the best is whoever holds that World title. So if it's Cena, Lesnar, Punk, AJ or even Wes Ikeda, I will do anything and I mean absolutely anything to get that World Championship around my waist again.

The camera stopped recording and the interview had ended. Off camera, Jim and Ted discussed more into the afternoon.



---

Ted arrived to the arena early as usual, wanting to have plenty of time to prepare for the match. As this was a big match for him and after how much he enjoyed Wrestlemania, he had brought along his son, Tate. As they walked backstage a few divas and crew members had stopped Ted to see little Tate and Ted was sure that he'd be in good hands when he was out there. Ted had to shoot a promo and since he didn't want Tate in the room, a couple of divas had promised to look after him for that short period of time. Ted sat in his locker room with a camera facing him.

Ted Jr: Do you know how it feels to have the one thing you want so close and you can't reach it? Do you know what it feels like to have undeserving people flaunt the thing that you crave and treat it like nothing? That is what the Path to Glory Championship means to me. I made that title what it is today. Not CM Punk, not The Miz, not even AJ Styles. Now the Path to Glory Championship is even more precious than it was when I last held it. The Path to Glory Championship lives up to its name and serves as a Path to the World Championship. To have another chance at becoming the best in EBWF and the best in the world. AJ, there's nothing personal between us, it's just not like that with us. You and I are more like each other than you think. We crave success, and we don't care who we have to go through to get it. This match tonight doesn't need a special stipulation to get those people out there excited. It's got two of the best athletes in EBWF killing each other for greatness. Now this is normally the part where I insult you and call you worthless but it's not happening. You see we may hate each other's guts when we're in that ring but you know that we both have that underlying respect for each other. You might call me a failure and not to your standard but you know damn well that when that bell rings that I won't stop until I'm beaten to a pulp. There are no easy matches against me. Everybody that has gone out there and defeated me has earned that victory. We both want that title and we both want to be the best. If we didn't we wouldn't be here.

Ted Jr: So AJ, you've cashed in this title before for your chance at the World Championship, you know how valuable this really is. I also know that when I cash in the championship I won't fail. For years I've had that black mark against my name. For years I've had that World Championship reign haunt me. The single greatest achievement of my career tarnished by everyone. Nobody thought I deserved to be champion, nobody respected me as champion. Even the damn CEO, said I was a filler champion because his "top guys" couldn't be bothered holding the strap. Well fuck them and fuck Wes Ikeda, this night, this is the night I get back on my path to the World Championship. And when I get that title around my waist again I want everybody and I mean everybody to show me the respect that I deserve. I want Wes Ikeda to finally give me the respect I deserve. I don't want to hear bullshit about top guys being bored of the World Championship, I want the top guys to be the ones to say that I deserve to hold it.

Ted Jr: Whether it's John Cena, CM Punk, or anyone else on the roster. Whoever is holding the World Championship while I have the Path to Glory Championship is going to be on notice. I want the World Championship again and I will not rest until it's around my waist again.

The camera was turned off and Ted ended his promo. He knew that tonight's match would be one of the hardest of his career and he knew that AJ would not be taking him lightly. They both wanted the World Championship and the first step to get there was to win the Path to Glory Championship. Tate was returned to Ted's locker room shortly after he finished his promo and the two sat together as Ted made his final preparations for his match tonight.

Tate DiBiase: You gonna win daddy?

Ted Jr: I'm going to do my best to. Are you going to be cheering me on back here?

Tate nodded and it made Ted smile.

Ted Jr: Well when I get back here I want you to be ready. We're going to celebrate. I'll take you round to meet the other wrestlers. Anyone you want to see?

Tate DiBiase: Cena!

Ted smiled and shook his head at the enthusiasm of Tate.

Ted Jr: I'll do my best to let you meet him. Just don't beat him up because he beat me.

Tate nodded again and Ted hugged him before taking him out to the divas that were looking after him before. After Tate was sorted out, Ted left him and walked out for the final match of the tournament.