One week before Christmas Eve of Destruction and Adam Copeland found himself on the Warfare card against Tomohiro Ishii. The travel to New York went easy, and it felt good to be backstage at the Barclays Center. Adam took some time in his locker room to change into a pair of light distressed blue jeans and a Rated R Superstar tshirt before heading out into the hallway in search of an interviewer. He wasn’t thrilled about this. He hadn’t appeared to be on the recording schedule. There was a certain indignity to wandering around looking for an opportunity to be recorded for a promo. He went straight to Production, and as luck would have it, he found one of the main men in charge of television production, Paul Heyman.
Adam Copeland: Paul, a word?
Adam’s eyes fell to the production assistant at the table, letting Paul know he’d like to speak privately. They stepped to the other side of the room.
Edge: I was very surprised to find that I was not on the promo schedule this afternoon.
Paul’s eyes went wide.
Paul Heyman: You weren’t?
Adam shook his head.
Paul Heyman: Mr. Copeland, I can assure you that was an oversight.
Adam Copeland: I certainly hope so. It’s making me feel a little green to be honest.
Paul Heyman: You were a late addition to the card. I know that’s a poor excuse. I can get you scheduled right away.
Adam Copeland: It’s fine, Paul. I’ll head to the studio. One of the girls there will make time for me. You know though... if you used me on TV a bit more often this stuff probably wouldn’t happen.
Paul Heyman: You know I’m firmly in your corner...
Adam Copeland: Do I, Paul?
He narrowed his eyes at the shorter man.
Adam Copeland: Prove it.
Adam turned on his heel, and walked away, feeling pretty satisfied with himself. True to his word, he sought out the studio. He proceeded quietly, in case they were filming, but found Charly Caruso there checking her reflection and primping her hair.
Adam Copeland: Hey Chuck. Am I interrupting?
Charly Caruso: Not at all! How are you?
Adam Copeland: I’m good. Was hoping we could grab a cameraman and shoot something for the Ishii match.
Charly Caruso: Oh, sure! I was wondering what you had planned when we didn’t see you scheduled.
Adam nodded. On cue, Drew, EBWF’s Senior Camerman walked in, carrying two styrofoam cups of coffee from the catering area. He walked toward Charly with one as he spoke.
Drew: Here to film, Adam?
Adam Copeland: Yeah, if you got the time.
Charly had taken her coffee and Drew headed over to his equipment.
Drew: Nothing but time for that! Let me set this up here.
He went about preparing the camera as Charly turned to Adam.
Charly Caruso: Want me to just hit the highlights?
Adam Copeland: Yeah, I’ll do the rest.
Drew: Ready?
Charly put her coffee out of the frame, and once she and Adam were set the little red recording light came on.
Charly Caruso: Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome my guest, he is one half of the tag team champions, the Rated R Superstar, Edge!
Edge: Thanks, Chuck!
Charly Caruso: Edge, tonight you return to the Barclays Center to take on Tomohiro Ishii, who quite recently has been the butt of some jokes amongst the ranks of Rated RKO.
Edge: Look, Randy and I like to have a good time. But I’m not going to sit here and pretend that I don’t know who Ishii is. He’s been a formidable opponent in his time here, and this just happens to be the first time he’ll be meeting me. And let’s be honest, pretending we don’t know the difference between Ishii and Ciampa stopped being funny when I realized that unlike Ciampa, Tomohiro actually gives a shit.
Charly Caruso: He also has a wrestling style quite unlike what you’re used to.
Edge: Does he? Remember who you’re talking to, Chuck. I’ve been around for a while. I’ve done a lot of things.
Charly Caruso: It’s been said that Tomohiro Ishii’s brand of strong style wrestling is particularly brutal.
Edge: Brutal? You say that like I haven’t participated in how many Christmas Eve of Destruction shows? Elimination chambers? Like I didn’t invent the damn TLC match? I don’t need to be warned about brutal. I thrive with brutal. Ultimate Opportunist, by hook or by crook, fair or cheating, technical or brutal. I have a deep skill set with which to beat Ishii. And he’s at the disadvantage of having to step into the ring with me for the first time. I’m in the best shape of my life, and he’s at the disadvantage of being a beard and red suit away from being a Japanese Santa Claus. This is no contes, Charly.
Charly Caruso: I think I would be remiss as a journalist if I didn’t point out that this might be much more challenging than you’re assuming.
Edge: You don’t know what I’m assuming. I’m expecting this to be difficult. I’m expecting that I’m going to get hit in my face, hard. I’m also expecting to win. Not only because I’m faster and more versatile than Tomohiro Ishii, but also because the thing I have that he doesn’t is the element of surprise. You might not think I’m used to strong style wrestling, but what I am used to is getting beat up on by every behemoth in wrestling for the last twenty years. And I always, always find a way to come up out on top.
Edge gave a smirk, and a slight suggestive wiggle of the eyebrows before he backed away from Charly, sending the scene to black.
