Laughter could be heard as the show was interrupted suddenly. As the show cut from ringside, the camera showed a darkened dirt pathway lined by bushes. The laughter grew closer, yet the tone dropped off. In a matter of seconds, the laughter stopped. Only to be replaced with soft faint footsteps on the loose dirt. From off to the left, one half of the EBWF Tag-Team Champions walked into the screen. Tommy End, dressed in his signature suit and tie, had the EBWF Tag-Team Championship strapped around his shoulder.
He walked up into the shot with his hands clasped together in front of him. He stopped in the center and turned to face the camera.
Tommy End: ”A long awaited moment finds itself on the the doorstep of the present. There was a time when I thought that our paths would not meet on these hallowed grounds, but here I am, proven wrong. And for once I’m glad to be proven wrong.
For you see, Jimmy Havoc, I have wanted to get back in the ring with you for a long, long time now, but our paths, they just never seem to have lined up, until now.”
Tommy gave a slight nod as before he tilted his head to the side.
Tommy End: ”We’ve had out battles. We’ve fought our wars. But never here. No, here in EBWF you and I, we’ve eluded each other for far to long.
Now I’ve tried to lure you out, Jimmy. I’ve tried to feed your need for lust, but you didn’t bite. No Jimmy, you didn’t see the signs. You didn’t hear the cries. And for that, something was lost, but only for a moment.”
Tommy released his own hand and lifted his left and reached out. He extended his hand which was instantly met with another, more feminine hand. Zahra Schreiber then walked into the screen and smiled as she stood next to Tommy.
Tommy End: ”This lovely woman wanted something from you Jimmy. No, she needed something from you Jimmy. She called out for you help. She begged for you. Screamed for you. But you didn’t answer.
Instead, you chose to follow your greed. You chose to follow your path of hatred and revenge. And look where that has gotten you Jimmy. Look where you are at?
This King of the Ring Tournament. A tournament, if I’m not mistaken, you won last year. A tournament which you’ve gone on record and claimed your victory in again.
Arrogance.”
Zahra smirked as Tommy shook his head slowly.
Tommy End: ”Now Jimmy, after winning King of the Ring last year and making the claim of being the “King of Goths”, what happened?”
Zahra and Tommy turned their heads and looked at each other. The two of them gave a smirk, before a small chuckle. Tommy turned his head back forward.
Tommy End: ”You failed to live up to hype you created for yourself. You failed to be the king that you claimed to be.
All of the promises you made. Announcing that you were the future of this company. The savior that would lead us all to a better and more fruitful tomorrow. Promises of you, as the great “King of Goths”, would become the leader of this company by becoming the EBWF World Champion.”
Tommy paused for a moment as he took a deep breath.
Tommy End: ”But you didn’t.
You didn’t become the EBWF World Champion. You didn’t become the savior that would lead EBWF and its people to new grandures. You didn’t take the helm and sail off, reaching new heights.
No, instead, you failed. You failed yourself. You failed the EBWF Universe. And you failed her.”
Tommy tilted his head in motion to Zahra.
Tommy End: ”Last year, even being the King of the Ring, you failed everyone. So why, even if you did manage to become King of the Ring once more, would you think you wouldn’t do the same as you did last year?
Why do you believe this year would be any different?
What makes you think that if you went through me, continued all the way to the finals, and became King of the Ring for the second year in a row. A re-anointed “King of Goths”. What makes you think that the outcome of your reign would be any different from your last one?”
Zahra closed her eyes as she shook her head.
Tommy End: ”Look at this past year. Look at the reign of the “King of Goths”. You failed to win the EBWF World Championship. You let the blind rage of revenge sway you from everything else. You headlined the biggest stage of them all, only to lose to a part time billionaire, who’s been spending more time in suits than wrestling boots.
In what should have been your year, you’ve done nothing but flop on your face. Topping it all off with getting injured and being put on the shelf to finish off the year.
When you needed to be out there making up for all the failures you’ve had this year. When you needed to do something big. Something to make your reign as king actually mean something. Instead, your reign as King of the Ring, it’s going to be remembered as the worst year of your life.”
Tommy and Zahra shared a quick smirk.
Tommy End: ”You and I, we’ve been through it all, so I know about the ups and the downs you’ve had all throughout your career. Matches lost. Championships won. Injury after injury. I’ve witnessed it all. I’ve been there, for them all. And I know that none of them have eaten you up as much as this past year will.
When you are five years down the road, ten, twenty years. You’re going to look back at your career. You’re going to look back and you’re going to think about all those ups and downs. You’re doing to think about your time on the independants. ICW, Progress, Southside… All the memories in those promotions. Those memories will make you smile. They’ll make you happy. But then you’ll come to this memory. You’ll come to this year. You’re King of the Ring reign.
First you’ll think of the ups. The Slammys. The Matches of the Year candidates. You’ll feel the joy in your heart. The warmth of that joy will flow through your veins. It’ll be euphoric.
But then, a slight breeze will blow and give you a quick chill. That chill will disrupt those joyous thoughts. In an instant, that cold feeling will have changed everything. Now you’re not thinking about winning the King of the Ring. Instead, you’re thinking of losing to PJ Black in a match you named after yourself. A match you should have won. You’re not thinking about riding yourself of a cancerous plaque in Chris Jericho, and gaining power within the corrupt corporation you fought against for so long. No…
Instead Jimmy, you’re going to be thinking about standing in front of millions, and millions of people. Main eventing the biggest show of them all. Bigger than the SuperBowl. Bigger than the World Cup. Bigger than the Olympics. You’ll be thinking of each and everyone of of those people who paid to see Jimmy Havoc take on Wes Ikeda in his match. The Deathmatch. It was billed as the “Rebel Without a Cause” vs the “King of the Deathmatch”. Once again, a match that was made and designed for you to win. A night that had your name all over it. Then what happened my dear?”
Tommy looked over at Zahra, who looked into the camera with a devilish smirk.
Zahra Schreiber: ”You lost. Again. Another chance for you to make all your dreams come true. To solidify yourself as one of the top Superstars in the EBWF. But you failed. You lost, plain and simple. You had all the balls in your court, but you still couldn’t get the job done.”
Tommy raised his hand to Zahra’s shoulder as she paused. She looked back at him and gave a nod.
Tommy End: ”Now, I get the wins and loses. We all have them and sometimes we have more in the win column and sometimes we might have more in the loss column. Believe me, I know that freak accidents can lead to some devastating losses. But that’s not what happened here, is it Jimmy?
There was no accident. There was no freak act of God. You and Wes tore the house down and when all the dust settle, there it was.
Jimmy Havoc laid flat out on his back looking up at the lights. It wasn’t his music that played. No. He laid there in the ring in defeat. Trust me, it wasn’t his mind that gave up on him. He knew what was going on. It definitely wasn’t his heart that gave up on him. Jimmy would wrestle till his heart gave out if it was up to his heart.
No, Jimmy’s body gave up on him. His body just couldn’t go anymore and that’s why Jimmy lost. And that is what’s going to haunt you Jimmy. The fact that your body gave out before a a man who rarely wrestle. You body gave out on you before Wes’ gave up on him. The belief that you could outlast any man on the roster was dashed. The one thing about you that frightened people most was proven to be nothing more than a joke. That’s something you will never be able to live down.”
Tommy took a deep breath before he continued.
Tommy End: ”Now we’re here. After a short return from an injury, you have made your return and just like you’ve always done. You didn’t heed any warnings of taking things easy. No, not you. Not Jimmy Havoc.
Instead, you jumped right into this tournament and you’ve already claimed that you’re going to win this tournament. Just like everyone else who has claimed that they’re going to be the next King of the Ring. But you Jimmy, you’ve gone a little further than just staking your claim. You’ve already made plans to go on and become the EBWF World Champion.
However, there’s just one problem with all these plans. All these claims that have been made by everyone in this tournament. You all have to contend with me…
This is the first King of the Ring that I’ve been in, and I have already eliminated AJ Styles. Granted it was a water down version, but a victory is still a victory and I have moved on to face you Havoc. Returning from injury. Not one hundred percent. Jimmy Havoc. Will there be some ring rust? Won’t there? Will Jimmy be able to withstand the length of the King of the Ring Tournament?
All these questions you thought was answered for you last week, didn’t you Jimbo? You thought, winning you first round match, you’d get all the doubters off your back. You’d get all the medical staff to back off and stop trying to convince you not to compete. You thought that winning your first round match would give you the confidence to build up to the next round. Then the next round. All the way to the finish and beyond. But they weren’t.. In fact, all those questions. All those doubts. They’re still there. Everyone is looking at you Jimmy and they’re asking themselves. Is he ready? Should he be competing?
Why?
It’s all still there Jimmy because you might have gotten by the first round of this tournament, but look at who you defeated. I defeated AJ Styles to advance to this round. You… You beat The Rock. Another part timer who only wrestles when it benefits himself.
So if anything Jimmy, the only thing you proved with your victory in the first round and that you’re finally able to beat a part timer. But I’m not a part timer. I’m not only a few shows out of the year.”
Tommy took a step forward.
Tommy End: ”There was no test for you in the first round, so there is no way to know if you’re even ready to be in this tournament. However, if you want to go further in the tournament, you’re going to be have to step up your game. You’re going to have to face off against me. I’m not PJ Black. I’m not Chris Jericho or Wes Ikeda. I’m not The Rock.”
He shook his head as he continued.
Tommy End: ”Jimmy, I hope that you’re not underestimating me. You should know by now just how I am in that ring. You should know that I’m not about the backstage politics. You know that when I’m out in that ring, I hit hard. Out of everyone on this roster, everyone in this tournament, you know that I hit the hardest.
Sure, you’ve been in the ring with a lot of men over the years, including monsters like Braun Strowman. I know you’ve been hit hard, but not in this tournament. In this tournament, you haven’t actually been hit. The Rock, he’s adapted himself to choreographic fighting now. He lost all momentum in his hits. Not me, I haven’t lost anything.
In fact, since the last time you’ve been in the ring with me Jimmy, my strikes have gotten stiffer. Their aim has gotten deadlier. You’re not ready for this, and I will prove that you’re not ready for this.
As much as you believe that you’re back, and you can become King of the Ring again. I’m going to prove to you Jimmy that you should have taken a few more months off. You should have listened to the doctors and you should have let your injuries heal. You should have wait till after this tournament was over and earned your shot at the EBWF World Championship another way.”
Tommy turned his head to Zahra and gave her a nod. She turned and walked off the camera and Tommy turned his body and followed behind her.
