The EBWF Universe became hushed as the lights in the arena suddenly went out. The titan tron flickered to life as the United Kingdom flag was shown. The flag ripped on the titan tron to simulate the wind as “God Save the Queen” blasted onto the sound system. A few seconds into the United Kingdom national anthem, men dressed as the Royal Guard walked out onto the stage. Guard after guard popped out from backstage and marched down the ramp. The rounded the ring and filled in until the entire perimeter was blocked off by the guards. Once set in place, the Royal Guard in unison turned and faced out to the EBWF Universe.

Corey Graves: ”What is this? What’s going on Mauro?!”
Mauro Ranallo: ”It looks like we might be getting a visit from the Queen.”
Corey Graves: ”The Queen would never come to Iowa, Mauro.. Do you think she would grace these people with her presence?”

The anthem continued to play while the guards all stood there, cold. After a few moment, the EBWF Universe began to get confused. A few members of the Universe taunted and teased the guards at ringside in attempt to make them move. None of the guard yielded.

After a loud screech of a record being scratched. “God Save the Queen” abruptly stopped. The music was quickly replaced with the words…

I’M JUST ONE MAN!!!

“More Than One Man” took over the sound system. The EBWF Universe jumped up on their feet and cheered. Heath Slater appeared on the stage in his ring gear. His catphrase, “I GOT KIDS” plaster on his shirt, dead on his chest. However, instead of the normal white coloring, the logo was the color of the United Kingdom flag.

Slater stopped on the stage and smiled out at the vocal EBWF Universe. The cameras shifted as the new camera walked up the ramp, with guards on either side, and approached Heath Slater. Slater shifted his weight and he strumbed at his hips. He rocked it with the camera for a seconds before he screamed out and lunged forward. He strutted down the ramp with the cameraman right beside him.

Heath Slater: ”Travelin’ like royal!!”

Slater patted one of the guard on the back as he past. He walked around the ring and climbed up the steel steps. Slater slid along the apron and cheered out with the crowd. He turned and quickly entered the ring and threw his hands in the air. The crowd screamed in out while Slater air guitared all around the ring. He stopped next to Christy Hemme and smiled. He reached forward and acted like he was going to pick Christy up again. She stiffened up before Slater pulled back. He laughed and then reached up and took the microphone. Slater then stomped back to the middle of the ring.

Heath Slater: ”WWwwwWwooooOOOOOOOoooOOoOOOO!!!!!”

Slater screeched out once again as he stopped dead center in the ring. He looked out at the Universe and paused momentarily. He smiled while he took it all in.

Heath Slater: ”Now that’s what I like to hear. That excitement. To know that you people support me and my family the way you do. If it wasn’t for you people, right here in IIIIOOOOO-WWAAAA!!! If it wasn’t for you, Heath Slater would not be here…

No, I would be back in Virginia settin’ up the traps, ants get bad this time of the year. Yeah.. You know what I mean.”

Slater pointed out to a member of the EBWF Universe. He nodded and smiled.

Heath Slater: ”But not this year..

This year, Beulah is holding down the fort. She’s been on the front line in the war, while I’m travelin’ the country to come out here and do what I do best. You people demanded me, and Wes Ikeda listened.

That’s why I’m in this King of the Ring Tournament. Wes Ikeda brought me in to compete, and that’s what I’ve been doing. Matt Riddle... Andrade...”

He paused for a moment in silence.

Heath Slater: ”In this tournament, I came across both of these men in their debut matches. Their nerves had to have been going through the roof, which is why I was able to overcome them.

Yes, I know that word means. Overcome: Succeed in dealing with a problem or difficulty. To defeat. To prevail.

See, they have Google down at the library now.”

Slater tapped his forehead and smirked.

Heath Slater: ”I overcame them because I’ve been here before. I’ve been on this stage. I’ve been in the King of the Ring Tournament. Matt Riddle. Andrade “Cien” Almas. I knew what I was getting myself into with this tournament, the two of them, they didn’t.

But unlike the two of them, my next opponent has a leg up on them.

Aiden English, this isn’t your debut. This isn’t your first match here in EBWF. You know how things are run around here. You know what it takes to win a match. After all, you are the number one contender for the EBWF Breakout Championship.

Not to mention the men that you’ve beaten in this tournament. You’ve beaten Randy Orton, a future Hall of Famer. A former World Champion. Then you beat Braun Strowman. A monster who I for one am glad I didn’t face. Heck, there might have been a chance I wouldn’t be here in the quarter-finals if I faced off against man like Braun. I gotta give it where I see it, and Aiden, you might not have done it by yourself, but you got the job done.

In both instances, you were able to get the job done by any means necessary.”

Slater paused as the EBWF Universe let out a series of boos at the mention of Aiden’s king of the ring accomplishments.

Heath Slater: ”Which is why I had to ring up my, soon to be new housemate, you people know her as Queen Elizabeth the Second. I however call her Lizzy.

So I call up Lizzy and I’m like, “Hey Lizzy, it’s Slater. I got a problem.” we talked for hours. She told me stories from the wedding. She was telling tales of her great grandkids. Honestly, she like to ramble. But after I got her back on track. I asked for some protection for me and the family, and low and behold, Lizzy sends me the Royal Guard.

Now, that’s friendship. She’s going to be a good role model for my five girls.”

The crowd laughed as Slater smiled and nodded his head.

Heath Slater: ”I know what you’re going to ask. You’re going to ask me why the Royal Guards. Well, after watching the games Aiden likes to pull last week, I thought that it was best to have a little bit of backup in case Aiden wants to go to the well once again. These men, they’re here to make sure there won’t any interruptions like Tomasso Ciampa.

See, I’m not an idiot Aiden. I can watch tape.

Like I said, I’ve been in this King of the Ring Tournament before. I know if you want to advance, you have to watch each match. You have to learn your opponent inside and out. You can’t just go one match back. Two matches back.

No, you have to watch the entire tournament. You have to make yourself aware of what every other man in this thing is willing to do to get that win. To get that victory and advance to the next round. To continue on with the same determination and drive that you had in the first round.

You Aiden, I can see the drive in you.”

Slater took a moment to gather his thoughts before he continued.

Heath Slater: ”After last week against Braun, I can see the depths you will go to get a victory. I can see the desperation in you. I can see that you will stop at nothing, even buying help.”

The crowd booed once again.

Heath Slater: ”Aiden, the look in your eye, I’ve seen it from many men in this tournament. Some of those men went on to win the King of the Ring Tournament. Does that mean you will get the win? Does that mean that you will win the entire tournament?

It could, I won’t deny that.

But it could also mean that soon, you time will be over in this tournament. It could mean that soon, you won’t be advancing on into the next round.

See, there’s two sides to every emotion. Each emotion you feel, it could be beneficial. Or, it could hurt you. Those same feelings you had last week when Tomasso Ciampa appeared and helped you beat Braun. The joy.

Knowing that you would be advancing to the next round of this tournament and continue on your march to becoming King of the Ring. When you saw Tomasso, you knew that your future was set.

Now what if Tomasso didn’t come? What if it was someone other than Tomasso? What if it was Tomasso, but instead of siding with you, he took you out?”

He looked around at the Universe for a moment.

Heath Slater: ”Now what if Tomasso did everything you asked? He came out, did the dirty work. He took out Braun for you. But there was one thing different?

What if the ref saw everything?

That joy of Tomasso helping you, it would have turned into torment when the referee disqualified you. Then you wouldn’t go on to the tournament. You wouldn’t be here in the quarter-finals. No…

Instead, I would be squaring off against Braun Strowman. But luck was on your side. The ref remained down. He never saw Tomasso come into the ring and reek havoc on Braun. Everything went according to plan. You got the win. You advanced. And now, here you about to challenge me, knowing that for the last two matches in this tournament, all your little games, they all worked out for you.

But that’s why I have the guards out here. See, I’m not going to play any games with you tonight Aiden. I’m not going to worry about looking over my shoulder to see if someone from my past is going to run up and attack me. No...”

He shook his head.

Heath Slater: ”No, I have had my attention deterred for far too long. I’ve been more worried with this and that, than what was going on right in front of me. But that’s not going to happen tonight.

Tonight, these guards, they will make sure that no one gets involved in this. They will make sure that I can keep my head facing forward. They will make sure that I can keep my focus on you. That way none of your little games will come back to haunt me. That way any tricks you try to pull, I can sniff them out like a bloodhound.

See, I have a lot riding on this tournament, and I wasn’t going to let myself fall victim to your little tricks. I have a family that I have to make all their dreams come true. And to do that, I have to get through you Aiden. To get my family to Buckingham, I have to beat you. I have to advance in this tournament and make it all the way. I need to become, King of the Ring.”

Slater dropped the microphone as “More Than One Man” blast back onto the sound system. Slater stood there in the center of the ring while the show went to commercial break.
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Hey everyone, sorry for the rushed one this week. The weekend went by to fast and I lost track of time. Good luck to you Billy.