Dominance
Posted: Mon May 21, 2018 11:00 pm
A hush came over the EBWF Universe as the lights dimmed. The grainy video of static emerged onto the titan tron and soon filled the entire screen. Letters, written in red, could be made out through the static. The letter didn’t only spell something out, it spelt out the name, A.J. Styles.
The static faded only to bring us backstage where one half of the EBWF Tag-Team Champions sat. With his hair tied back, prim and proper, Tommy End sat normally in a steel chair. With a pressed white shirt, black slacks, and a matching blazer, Tommy looked in front up, directly at the camera. The brick wall behind him had seen better days, as chips could be seen all over. Water from a leaking pipe had stained the wall.
Tommy raised his left hand and ran his fingers through his bread. He tilted his head up as though he had something on his mind.
Tommy End: ”A.J. Styles. That name. I would hear that name often as I fought all over Europe. Everyone talked about his matches. His move set. They talked about how “Phenomenal” he was.
They would show me this move. Those dives. That finisher.”
He shrugged his shoulders as he gave a nod.
Tommy End: ”I’ll admit, they were exactly how they described them. The were, phenomenal.”
He cupped his hands together and rested them on his lap.
Tommy End: ”But that was years ago. That A.J. Styles, I wish I was about to face that A.J. Styles. That would be a match worthy of being a main event, not only of Warfare, but of any Pay Per View this company can come up.”
He paused and brought his hands up to his mouth. He set his elbows on his knees and let out a sigh. He extended his right index finger as he released his hands.
Tommy End: ”But that’s not the A.J. Styles I’m going to get. Am I right?
I’m not going to get the A.J. Styles that everyone wants. I’m not going to get the A.J. Styles that would go out there and not rest until he was a beat slab of meat laying in the middle of that ring. No. I’m not going to get the A.J. Styles that would stop at nothing to be the best. No.
I’m not going to get that. Instead, I’m going to get you.”
Tommy opened his palms and shook his head.
Tommy End: ”I’m going to get the man that doesn’t care. I’m going to get the man that doesn’t give a damn about this business, let alone himself, anymore.
I’m going to get the man who only shows up to get paid, then leaves.
Am I wrong? Tell me I’m wrong. In fact, I dare you to show me I’m wrong. Show me that you still have the heart for this business. Show me that you can still be that A.J. Styles that I was watching highlights from as I was slaving away in the gyms. Make me believe that A.J. Styles still exists.”
Tommy straightened up and sat back against the steel.
Tommy End: ”That is the A.J. Style I want to face. Why?
See, I’m a man who strives to take on only the best. Not to prove my grandeur, but to discredit everyone else’s belief of theirs. Which is why I’m not entirely opposed to this meeting.
You may not be the same A.J. Styles you once were, but even so, you still believe in your own grandeur. You haven’t done anything in months, yet you still believe in your own hype. You still believe that you’re what’s best for this company.
But you’re not.”
Tommy shook his head as he leaned forward.
Tommy End: ”You are a plague on this company. You and all the other part timers that come and go whenever it benefits you. Forget the men in the back that are here day in and day out. Away from their homes. Their families. The men that carry the weight of this company on their shoulders. Forget all of them, because it’s time for a flashback.
Don’t get me wrong, the nostalgia act gets over quite a bit, but what happens when you decide to walk away again. What happens then?
What happens when you don’t get your way. What happens if you don’t win this tournament? What happens then?
Royal Rumble? WrestleMania?”
Tommy threw his hands in the air.
Tommy End: ”I’ll tell you what will happen if I lose in this tournament. If I lose to you A.J., I’ll be back. The next week, I’ll be here. The next month, I’ll be here.
The King of the Ring, to every other man in this tournament, it’s a way to get to the EBWF World Championship. It’s a way to solidify themselves as greatness.
To me, this King of the Ring tournament, it’s not about winning and outlasting 29 other men. It’s not about becoming King. I don’t want no crown. All I want is to make this tournament worth it. For all the men that give their lives to this business every week. For all the people out there that want someone they know will be here.
For them, I will make it my mission in this tournament to take out any part timer that I come against. I will not let this tournament be won by a part timer. I will not allow this tournament to be tarnished. It will not just end up being a quick way to glory. You won’t be able to work a couple of weeks, get a shot that belongs to someone else, and abandon ship when you don’t get your way.”
Tommy leaned forward as he clasped his hands together once more.
Tommy End: ”A.J., if you really want this win, you will bring back the old A.J. Styles. Not the part timer you have become. If you really want to be EBWF World Champion again, you will have to fight for it. You will have to work for it. You will have to give up everything for it.
You will have to stick it out, because you’re not getting the easy route. You’re not going to continue on in this tournament and solidify a shot at SummerSlam.
No, that shot will go to someone who deserves it. Someone who has put forth the time. The work. The sacrifices. This years King of the Ring will be someone who truly deserves to go on to SummerSlam and challenge for the EBWF World Champion...
And that’s not you A.J.”
Tommy shook his head once more as the static slowly returned to the screen.
The screen was black while the steps of heels against the concrete could be heard. Moments into the blackness, the figure of a woman appeared. That woman was none other than the EBWF Women’s Champion, Zahra Schreiber. She walked into the center of the screen and stopped. Her shoulder dorned the EBWF Women’s Championship belt proudly. She adjust at the hip.
Zahra Schreiber: ”We’re here.”
Zahra walked off to the left. Her heels were heard long after her disappearance. Another figured walked up in place of Zahra. This figure was a slender man. It was Tommy End. He walked into the screen and turned to face it.
Tommy End: ”The King of the Ring. The name is new, but the concept is all too familiar. I have been in countless tournaments, all of which had their own rewards. The King of the Ring is no different.
Not only do you get to call yourself a king, but you gain an opportunity to challenge for the EBWF World Championship.”
Tommy signed as he looked to the left.
Tommy End: ”What normal is considered to be a test of fortitude, the King of the Ring Tournament mocks that.
Winning a tournament does not make you a king. It doesn’t make you the best. However, looking back at the past winners, I can conclude that everyone who wins this tournament, completely believes that it makes them better than everyone else.
Jimmy Havoc. A main event player that was held down on the mid card. That was until he became “King of the Ring”, and got it into his head he was the best. Did it actually make him the best?
Jimmy Havoc has always been amazing in the ring, but winning the King of the Ring Tournament didn’t make him the best however. All it did was put him into a match that was catered for him to win, and he failed. After that, what happened to the “King of the Goths”? Did he go on to greatness? Did he reach the top of the mountain and reign as king?
No, none of that happened.”
He shook his head slowly before he turned his head back to the camera.
Tommy End: ”CM Punk. Randy Orton. Sami Zayn.
Did winning the King of the Ring Tournament make any of these men the best? Again, they all believed so, but no. No it did not. Don’t get me wrong, I haven’t competed against any of these men here in EBWF, but I do my research. I know that they all have the ability to put on spectacular matches. They’re all former World Champions. They’ve been to the top.
But that didn’t make them the best then, and it doesn’t make them the best now. Being “King of the Ring” did not make them the best.”
He took a pause before he continued.
Tommy End: ”But here we are, at the cusp of another King of the Ring Tournament, and we have another group of individuals that believe this tournament is theirs for the taking. Men like Finn Balor. Dalton Castle. Aiden English. And even A.J. Styles.
All of those men believe that winning this tournament will make them the best. Yes, it’ll give them a shot at greatness, but greatness does not equal the best.”
He stood there for a second in silence.
Tommy End: ”Now you might be wondering, if I don’t believe in the King of the Ring Tournament, why am I in it. Why is Michael Dante in it. Well that’s simple. We’re not in it for greatness. We’re not it in to prove that we’re the best. No, we decide to enter the tournament to dash the dreams of every man who thinks they can use this tournament to boost themselves.
We plan to make a statement in this tournament, and that statement is this. We’re here for dominance. Each and every one of us. Zahra, she’s already proven her dominance over the Women’s Division. Dante and I, we’ve proven out dominance over the Tag-Team Division. Now we get to prove our dominance, not only in the singles divisions, but we also get to literally prove our dominance over 28 other men. And we don’t even have to waste a lot of time doing it. Which is okay in my book, but Dante is a little disappointed. He was looking for a long career of destroying each and every man on the roster.”
He shrugged his shoulders before he continued.
Tommy End: ”I’m not going to deprive Dante of that. I promised him he’ll be unleashed on the roster. But for now, we’ll just focus on this tournament.
So, it doesn’t matter if you’re a former king looking to retake his crown. Or if you’re some new kid on the block looking to leapfrog your way to the top, the outcome will be the same. You will all drop and lay out our feet. You will look up at the lights and you will be motionless. Millions of thoughts will be going through you mind, but there will be one that stands out. The thought of this is the end, because if you’re look at those lights. It will be the end.
The end of the match. The end of your run in the tournament. The end of any chance of you being considered the “best”. All of your hopes and dreams of becoming the EBWF World Champion through this tournament, will be dashed.”
Tommy took another pause. He looked like he was going to continue, but he then turned and walked off the camera. The screen sat in pure blackness once again.