This Year
Posted: Mon May 27, 2019 9:20 pm
Darkness filled the room, except for an orange glow from candles that lined the ground. The flames danced in the small breeze which caused the dim light to flicker in the darkness. Footsteps couldn’t be heard as a pair of legs walked into the picture. Slowly, Tommy End lowered down and sat on the ground among the candles. A stern was etched on his face as he sat there in the flickering light.
Tommy End
”Here we are, the dawning of a new season.. A new King of the Ring season..
A lot of men are going to be fighting for positioning, but a few.. A few of those men will have what it takes to make it through this tournament season and advance further than they ever thought possible. Those men.. They will be the ones who have their dreams cut short first.
See, there are the fodder that know that they won’t make it to the finals.. But still they will try. They will try to get better with each match, so then next tournament season, they may be able to go just a little bit further. They will try to improve so maybe, just maybe, next year, they will be able to make it out of the first round.”
Tommy took a deep breath as he placed his hands in his lap.
Tommy End
”Then, you have the men who have earned their spot. Who have been through the wars before and know just what it’s going to take to make it to the next round. The men who know just how much their going to have to give. How much blood, sweat, and tears their going to shed to make it to the next level..
They are the men who come here, and they put their heads down and they do what they need to do. The put in the work.. They put in the time. They make themselves better.
These are the men that will make sure that they leave everything in the ring. They will either do anything and everything to win.. Or they will make sure they leave it all in the ring.. The will make sure there is no doubt that they gave it their all.”
He put his elbows on his knees and leaned forward.
Tommy End
”Then..
Then there are men who will preach to all of you that they belong.. That they deserve more. That they should instantly be put in the main championship picture. They will come out to that ring and they will say that they will be in the finals...
They won’t work for it.. They won’t put everything on the line to go for the finals. Instead.. They will just assume that they’re in the finals. Like it’s a gift for them to just sit back and wait to be handed.”
Tommy shook his head.
Tommy End
”Tonight.. I will rid the tournament of one of these men.
Lio Rush..”
A look of destain came to Tommy’s face as he mentioned Rush by name.
Tommy End
”Rush.. For months, we have listened to you preach about your little band of merry men. We’ve heard you preach about the achievements of Hardcore Holly.. How he is the hardest working.. The man who is willing to defend his championship anytime.. Anywhere.. We’ve heard how Hardcore Holly is the best EBWF Breakout Champion in the history of EBWF..
Then, we’ve heard you talk about Bobby Lashley, and just how powerful he is. How dominate he is.. We’ve listened about how much Bobby likes to come, destroy, and collect..
We’ve heard everything there is to hear about your two boys, but what about you Lio? What do you have to bring to the table. Sure, I know that Hardcore and Lashley enjoy your mouth.. But what more do you have to offer? What more can you do?”
Tommy took a second and sat there in silence.
Tommy End
”I know that you’re going to go out to that ring, and you’re going to do what you do best.. You’re going to talk. You’re going to talk about how myself and Grado don’t measure up to you. You’re going to talk about how you’re just as good as Bobby Lashley and Hardcore Holly. You’re going to say that you have this in the bag because you’re money. Because you’re the “Man of the Hour”, and whatever else nicknames you want to give yourself. That’s all well and good, but there’s just one problem Lio.. That problem..
That problem is me.”
He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
Tommy End
”See Lio, I know that you and your boys, they like to talk a lot of shit. They like to talk shit about everyone on the roster, but lately.. Lately there has been one constant that has come out of the three of your mouths.. One constant that the three of you keep coming back to.. One word..
Legion.
That’s right.. To this day, no matter what we’ve done. No matter how many time that we’ve beat the three of you down. No matter how many times that we have proven our superiority to you.. The three of you continue to talk about Legion like we’re a dying breed. Like without Jimmy Havoc, we’re nothing.. No matter how many times we tell you, Jimmy Havoc, like the rest of us.. We’re all pawns. We’re all just pieces in a much larger game. A game that we have no control over. A game where they’re no winners or losers..”
He outstretched his arms.
Tommy End
”All of this.. It’s all part of the plan. It’s all part of the fabric that makes up Legion. Everything that happens, it happens because of Legion. We’re not the dying breed.. No. Instead, we are the bringers of righteousness. We are the harbingers of peace.
Jimmy Havoc wasn’t the heart of Legion.. Jimmy Havoc wasn’t the prophet of Legion.. And the more that you pretend that you know Legion, and you know our inner workings.. The more foolish you all look. One man is not Legion. One entity is not Legion. But that is your belief.
That is why you fail.. That is why when you step into the ring with us, Legion always surprises you. That is why, Legion always outsmarts you..
See Lio, the more you think you know about Legion, the less you truly know about Legion. You think that we’re holding the EBWF Tag-Team Championships hostage, but we’re not. The tag-team championship are right where they need to be. Look around, there is no team that is willing to be champions. There is no two men who have proven themselves to be better than Legion. That is why no one has taken the EBWF Tag-Team Championship from us. That is why Bobby Lashley and Hardcore Holly failed to capture the championships, even though you all think that you’re better..
But it doesn’t matter how many times that Dante and I defeat you, does it.. It doesn’t matter how many times Lashley and Holly fail.. The two of them, and yourself Lio.. You continue with your superiority complex. You continue to think that you’re the best. You continue to think that everything that you do is better than it really it..
And that superiority complex that the three of you have.. That’s going to be your downfall in this tournament. That is going to be the crack in the armor that will slowly destroy the three of you from the inside out. See Lio, the three of you, you believe that you’re all deserving of something. You think that you are owed something. So coming into this tournament, just like your boys, you Lio.. You think that you’re going to win, but let me ask you something. Actually, let me ask this to you and your boys..”
Tommy took another pause.
Tommy End
”What will happen if the you meet up with each other in the tournament? Lio, what if you meet up with Hardcore Holly in the finals? What if you meet up with Bobby Lashley? What would you do?
Would you fight? Would you try to win and become King? Would you stand up against your oppressor and let yourself that the lead?
Would you?
Would anyone of you just stand up and fight each other, or would one of you just lay down for the other? Lio, would you just lay down so Bobby Lashley can get the crown? Would you lay down and let Bobby go on to SummerSlam and challenge for the EBWF World Championship? Would you lay down for Hardcore?”
He shook his head as though he already knew the answer.
Tommy End
”Legion, we know that if we end up facing each other in this tournament, we know that the best man will win. We know that it doesn’t matter which of us comes out on top, it’s all for the greater good. A win for Legion, is a win for everyone. There’s no confusion. There’s no jockeying for position.
Legion wins when any member of Legion wins.
So it doesn’t matter if Dante makes it to the finals. It doesn’t matter if I make it to the finals. Hell, it doesn’t matter if Zahra comes into this tournament and destroys each and every man.. If she wins the King of the Ring Tournament..
Legion wins.”
Tommy tucked his arms back into his lap as he sat indian-style among the candle.
Tommy End
”Though you’re not the only threat in this match Lio, are you?”
He shook his head slowly.
Tommy End
”No.. There’s another..
Another man may just end up being the sleeper pick. No one will give this man the credit that he deserves. I know Lio will just look over him and focus his word vomit on me. Lio’s going to be too worried about stepping up to the plate. He’s going to be worried about doing something that his boys couldn’t.. Destroy Legion.
That is why, Grado, might just be the man that could steal this victory. He could get the jump on a distracted Lio Rush and manage to advance in the King of the Ring. It’s possible. In life, there’s always a lot of possibilities, but out of those possibilities.. There are only a few certainties. There are only a few things that are meant to happen. Lio Rush not being ready for this tournament, that’s a certainty. Grado, think that he has a chance in this tournament, that’s a certainty.. The fact that neither one of those men will be able to stand against me..
That’s a certainty.
See Grado, I agree that you could win this match if neither Lio or myself were focused on you. If the two of us just threw you out of the ring and paid no attention to you. I agree if that was the case, you could win. You could get the jump on us and steal the victory right out from under us both.. But the only way for that to happen is if Lio and I weren’t prepared for that to happen.. If we were both not ready for you.
I can’t talk for Lio, but I can assume that he’s not prepared for you Grado.. But I am.
I’m not like Lio Rush.. I’m not short sighted.. I’m not unaware of your past. I know you Grado. I know that you more than meets the eye. I know that you a threat, possibly more of a threat than Lio Rush himself.. Because of that, I’ve got an eye on you.”
Tommy took a deep breath as he pondered his next thoughts.
Tommy End
”You’re a threat, just like Lio Rush. You’re in this match, just like Lio Rush.. So just like Lio Rush, I’m going to show you just what you’re in for when you step up against Legion. What you’re in for when you step up against me.
Lio, you can do you research. You can go ask Bobby Lashley.. You can go ask Hardcore Holly. Ask them just what you’re getting yourself into. Ask them what it’s like to meet with the bottom of my boot. Ask them.. Then, once you find out the answer. You take that answer and you go tell Grado. You tell him the pain that Bobby Lashley and Hardcore Holly felt when I kicked their heads off their shoulders. Tell him that when my boot connects with the side of your skull.. Everything just fades..
It all fades to black.
That is when you know that there is nothing.. There was nothing.. There will never be anything that you can do to stop it. To stop Legion.
Once I show ever man in this tournament their end.. Everyone will know that Legion hasn’t faltered.. Legion hasn’t strayed. No.. Once I show everyone in this tournament nothing but blackness.. Everyone will remember that Legion has always been here. Legion will always be here. No matter who comes and goes.. None of that matters. None of that is greater than the whole. No mane is greater than Legion.
Jimmy Havoc wasn’t the only man in Legion that can could hold the EBWF World Championship.. Jimmy Havoc wasn’t the leader of Legion just because he had the EBWF World Championship. Everyone thought that Havoc was in charge, but that was your first mistake. Then when Havoc left EBWF, you all thought that Legion was done. Finished.. Put out to pasture.. That was your second mistake.”
Tommy held up two fingers.
Tommy End
”Your third mistake...”
He slowly held up a third finger.
Tommy End
”Is not being able to stop Legion.
Legion has proved time and time again that there is nothing you can do to stop us.. Team EBWF.. They banded together to stop us, but they failed. The entire EBWF Women’s Division fought to stop Zahra, but they failed. Bobby Lashley, Hardcore Holly, Braun Strowman, and Drew McIntyre.. They tried to step up and stop Legion, but once again..
They all failed.
Everyone has tried, and they have failed. And you all will continue to fail, because last year, we opened everyone’s eyes and Legion came into the light. For years, Legion waited in the shadows. We stayed silent as we weaved our way into very fabric of our existence.”
He took a second before he outstretched his arms.
Tommy End
”Then we arrived.. And we changed the world of wrestling for the better. We arrived here in EBWF and in one night, we changed the entire complexion of EBWF. The landscape changed at WrestleMania last year when Zahra, Dante, and I took over EBWF. When Legion took over EBWF.
This year.. This year we prove that there is no stopping Legion.
This year, Legion will reign supreme, and that reign begins tonight. That reign begins with this King of the Ring Tournament. I may have failed at capturing the King of the Ring last year, but this year, that won’t happen. This year, I will become King. I will get my shot at SummerSlam. Then, no matter who’s the EBWF World Champion at that time, I will regain the championship for Legion. I will prove that Legion doesn’t need Jimmy Havoc with the EBWF World Championship to be considered, supreme.
Once I become King of the Ring, everyone will fear Legion once more. Everyone will listen to Legion once more. Once I become King of the Ring, I will show EBWF that Legion is here to stay, and there is nothing anyone can do about that..
Not Grado.. Not Lio Rush.. Not Bob Squared.. Not even Wes Ikeda.
Once I become King of the Ring, and then EBWF World Champion.. No one will be able to stand in Legion’s way. No one will be able to stand against us and challenge our teachings. No one will be able to doubt Legion and our influence, anymore.”
Tommy crossed his arms and place them in his lap. He sat among the candles as the scene slowly faded.
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Static took over the screen, only to quickly faded and revealed Tommy End. He stood in front a chain link fence. His hair hung in his face until he reached up and brushed it all back with his hand. Tommy looked into the camera and spoke out.
Tommy End
”Last year, I made it to the finals of the King of the Ring. I had my fingertips on that crown, but I came up just a little bit short. I lost. I was beaten by Seth Rollins. I didn’t get my shot at the champion at SummerSlam. I didn’t get the chance to take the championship and bring it to Legion. No..
But this is going to be different. This year, Legion will get the crown. We will win the tournament and go on to SummerSlam.
Don’t believe me, then I beg you to go through the roster and you tell me who can stop Legion. You won’t find anyone because there is no one who can challenge us. There is no one who can stop Legion, not in this tournament. Not this year.
This year, Legion has a plan. This year is about solidify Legion’s stop in this company. To do this, we need to make a bigger impact than we did last year. That means one thing.. The King of the Ring Tournament.”
Tommy spoke with passion.
Tommy End
”Tonight I step into that ring with Grado and Lio Rush to kick of the 2019 King of the Ring Tournament.. I can’t answer for Grado or Lio, but I for one am excited about this. Not only do I get to knock off one head, but I get to take two. Though on top of of that.. I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t looking forward to finally shutting Lio’s big mouth.”
He smirked as he mentioned Lio Rush.
Tommy End
”Lio.. I know that you’re going to talk a big game., but let’s face it. That’s all you’ve got. Lashley’s got the muscle.. Hardcore has the experience.. You.. You’ve got your mouth. And that’s not going to get you far in this ring, let along this tournament.”
Tommy held up one finger and shook his head.
Tommy End
”But that’s not going to stop you, Lio.. Is it?
No, I know you.. I’ve listened to you. It’s kinda hard not to, seeing as how you and your boys like to continuously bring up Legion. You want to continue complain that we haven’t been around. That we shouldn’t be champions. We hear you.
We hear that you think that you can do better.. That you deserve the EBWF Tag-Team Championships, but the fact of the matter is this. Lashley and Hardcore.. They got their shot. Dante and I defend the championship against them. Not only them, but Strowman and McIntyre were there too. That’s four men.. Two teams. And Legion prevailed. We took everything that you had.. Everything that you could muster. But it wasn’t enough. Your boys, Lio.. They failed.
They failed just like you’re going to fail tonight. Let’s face it Lio.. You’re not like Hardcore Holly or Bobby Lashley. You don’t have the gifts that they have. You don’t belong in this ring. You know it.. The people know it.. And your boys know it. That’s why they keep you on the sidelines. They know that you’re a liability.”
He turned and faced the other way.
Tommy End
”Now where Lio Rush is a joke with a mouth.. Grado.. You’re just a joke. Sure, anything could happen and you have a slim chance to actually win this match. Some might say a bigger chance than Lio. But it doesn’t matter how slim of a chance it is, I will make sure that it doesn’t happen.”
Tommy shifted again, this time he faced his body towards the camera.
Tommy End
”Just look at the marquee.. Tommy End verse Grado verse Lio Rush..
What do you get when you look at that? How do you feel when you see those three listed? When you see those names, do you think that Grado will win? Do you think that Lio Rush would win? Do you think either of them would stand a chance? No!!
If you think that, then you have no business watching wrestling..
The only name that stands out in that marquee is Tommy End. That’s right, out of those three names, I’m the only one that you can see winning. I’m the only one that you could see going all the way to the finals. You can’t pictures Lio Rush going to SummerSlam to face the EBWF World Champion. You can’t see Grado holding the EBWF World Championship high in the air after beating the champion.
But you can with me..”
Tommy continued after another brief pause.
Tommy End
”I’m the only man in this match that has main event potential.. I’m the only man that has the ability to win the entire tournament, then go onto SummerSlam, and no matter who the EBWF World Champion is.. I’m the only man in this match that has the ability to beat that champion.
So Lio, you talk your talk and say whatever you want. Grado.. You do whatever it is you do. I’m going to do what I do and I’m going to kick both of your heads off your shoulders and win. Then I’m going to continue on in the King of the Ring Tournament and this year.. I will win the King of the Ring Tournament.
There won’t be a fluke this year.. There won’t be any mistakes.
This year, I will win the tournament. Legion will win the King of the Ring. This year...
Legion will become EBWF World Champion.”
With a smirk, the static took over the screen once more and covered Tommy End completely.