Chattanooga Mixed Martial Arts College

The training ring is well lit from above, a brightness that suggests that a fight is soon to be on. Often times it’s set up for classes or sparring matches between students. Right now it’s the site of special training undertaken by the lanky woman in yellow shorts and a brand new t-shirt reading ‘2023 Queen of the Ring’. Sweat beads dot her forehead, her neck and joints stinging from recent strenuous efforts. As she circles the ring, eying her shorter sparring partner, Arisa Hoshiki’s body aches with every movement. But still she presses on. Soon she’s going to be exchanging blows with one of the most dangerous and skilled women in the history of professional wrestling.

Sparring partner: “Hey Hoshiki, are you sure you’re okay? You’ve been putting yourself through hell today.”

Arisa shakes her head and gets her dukes up.

Arisa: “It hurts, but I’m fine. Come at me.”


Her partner hesitates and shoots a look that asks if the Shining Star is serious about this.

Sparring partner: “It’s not just another wrestler you’re fighting, it’s Trish Stratus.”

Arisa works a kink out of her neck, retaining her fighting pose.

Arisa: “It’s especially because I’m fighting Trish Stratus that I need you to go at this training full strength.”

The legend’s face appears on her partner’s face briefly, smirking underneath her cowboy hat. It’s so vivid and real that she can feel the arrogance and self-importance emanating from the other woman. A woman who’s turned up on the eve of Arisa’s rise to the top just to throw her weight around and deny the world what it wants. To deny the Shining Star what she’s earned, what her heart aches for. Despite making herself a roadblock, Trish is absolutely as good as she insists that she is. You hold back against someone like her and her experience alone is going to make you pay. Too many women in the past twenty years have made that mistake and paid the price.

Arisa Hoshiki will not be one of them. She closes the distance and throws a kick that finds its mark on the shorter woman. It’s stiff, sharp and loud enough that you could hear the impact at the door. Her opponent’s eyes go wide at the impact; seeing it’s serious, she shifts into a low fighting stance and starts throwing her own kicks. Both exchange strikes, every impact ringing out through the gym. Soon Arisa switches it up by ducking a kick and springboarding off the ropes for a Star Cutter. It gets countered, Arisa’s face hitting the mat and then her arm being yanked back in a nasty armbar.

Arisa screams through the pain, then imagines that haughty face glaring down at her and demanding she tap. She shakes her head, claws into the mat and push herself up and then rolls through it! Holding the woman’s arm tight, Arisa locks in the Queen Killer and gets the leg scissors cinched! After the woman taps, Arisa releases the hold and rolls away. Both women look to each other, both smile.

Sparring Partner: “You’re sharper than the last time we fought, Hoshiki.”

Arisa rubs her leg, sore from the kicks the woman landed.

Arisa: “You’re even better than you were then, Azumi.”

A pause. The woman nods.

AZM: “Fight me again sometime and I’ll show you how much better I am.”

Arisa laughs and shakes her head.

Arisa: “Sorry, I’ve got a legend to kill. Maybe later.”

***
For a moment we see the exterior of McKenzie Arena, lit up in the evening as if an event’s about to begin. Various EBWF banners hang from the flat surface of the roof, giving the impression of a medieval tournament being that event. At the base of the gray and tan steps, her back to the camera stands Arisa Hoshiki. Her leather jacket’s now been bedazzled with a golden star behind the words ‘SHINING STAR’. She gazes up at the arena with determination as her voice comes over as narration.

Arisa: “It’s just a few more steps now. The stars I’m reaching for, the goal that I’ve set for myself and the impossible task I have to achieve? They’re all in the same space as me now - they’re in arm’s reach. I should’ve been able to just focus on finally seizing them, but in walked Trish Stratus. Like an uninvited guest crashing a queen’s coronation, she just barged in and made this all about herself. And look, I’m not about to say that she’s not a legend. Look at the record books and you’ll see just how good this woman is.”

We flash through a number of images, all showing Trish from every era of her EBWF career. Each one has her holding a belt up or with her hand raised after a hellacious victory over a hated rival. Then we go to a clip of Trish hitting Shayna Baszler with a Chick Kick, the words “Wresltemania XIX” at the bottom. She hits Stratusfaction, covers Baszler and the ref counts three. The shot freezes on Trish’s hand raised once again, turning to black and white and then gold.

Arisa: “No one can deny that you’re the very best of your generation in this sport. Since the beginning of EBWF you’ve been one of the brightest stars. From 2002 to 2023 you’ve had more big moments and triumphant battles than anyone else can hold a candle to. You came up in the sport when women’s wrestling was treated as an afterthought in this country. When women were only ever near the ring to be eye candy or to be given three minutes for some embarrassing stipulation match that came from the brain of a roided up, senile old man. A woman had to be tougher than any of the hulking men in that locker room just to survive in the industry, let alone thrive. The fact that you didn’t just thrive but made yourself a guaranteed hall of famer with as many classic matches as the greatest dude to ever lace up the boots? That’s impressive, and I respect you so much for persevering and having that kind of career.”

We see Arisa sitting on the steps now, her mouth turned up in a wry smirk.

Arisa: “Sadly, this is a sport and business where a lot of people care more about what you’ve done for them recently. For all of your accomplishments in the last 20 years, what’s your 2023 looked like in EBWF? What is it that the all mighty Trish Stratus has accomplished in the current EBWF? Everyone watching at home knows, but Trish’s so full of her own hot air that there’s no room for that kind of self awareness. Trish, I’ll do you a favor. Let me remind you.”
A new clip plays, this time still in the golden monochrome with the lettering at the bottom of the screen reading ‘Last Survivor 2023’. Trish is in control against Arisa late in the match, looking as though she might eliminate the joshi star. Then Arisa pushes Trish away, hits a high knee that knocks her over the top and then a kick that eliminates Trish. For a moment we see Arisa standing in the ring glaring down at Trish on the floor. Then the clip shifts to Warfare on June 5th. Trish sets Arisa up for the Stratusfaction, but Arisa counters into a powerslam before eventually fighting her way back up and hitting a Pulsar Kick. The ref counts three and Arisa looks half astonished, half confident. The shot freezes on this, then we fade back to full color and Arisa standing on the steps.

Arisa: “That’s right, for all your legendary accomplishments and how hard you had it coming up in this sport, for how great you are, Arisa Hoshiki’s been in your way. I guess I can understand why you decided to pull that stunt two weeks ago by coming out to insert yourself into the number one contender’s spot. You’ve had two chances to earn that spot legitimately like everyone else, and you’ve failed both times. You’ve failed both times because of me. So when I ended up winning the crown of Queen of the Ring and earning one more shot at Tam, you had to make your move.”

She snarls a little and shakes her head.

Arisa: “But that doesn’t make it a smart move. Yes, you’ve done all of what you’ve done. Yes, you have a legacy. You’re a legend. But that doesn’t give you the right to cut in line ahead of those of us who actually worked hard to earn our opportunities. Legends like you who just show up a couple times a year and steal the spotlight make me sick. This isn’t about you anymore, Trish. The world of professional wrestling’s moved on, and you’ve got only yourself to blame if you can’t keep up. Legends who show up after disappearing for a long time and think they can just receive opportunity after opportunity are what’s wrong with this sport. You think you’re better than me?”

Arisa throws a kick toward the camera.

Arisa: “Then beat me. Prove to the world that you’re capable of overcoming the woman who’s denied you the chance to stop Tam Nakano all year. You could’ve come out at any time in the past year to challenge her, but you didn’t. You stayed away. While you were off doing whatever it is that legends do when they can’t hack it, I was fighting for my life. Maybe you worked hard to get where you are, but that woman’s gone now. All I see is an entitled veteran who’s afraid to let go of the past and thinks she can just push me out of the way. Uh-uh. It doesn’t work that way.”

Arisa waggles a finger in adominshment.

Arisa: “Because while you walked away, I stayed here. I worked through the worst pain imaginable, fought a lingering physical condition that should’ve kept me retired, betrayed who I really was just to step back into a ring. And after I opened my eyes to the truth about myself, I realized I was weak. Did I just throw up my hands, give up and walk out for five months? No. I’m not Trish Stratus. I redoubled my efforts, pushed myself to the breaking point again and again so that I’d be the strongest I’ve ever been. That’s the difference between the current Trish and the current Arisa. When she gets knocked down she just walks away. When I get knocked down I pick myself back up and keep fighting. I keep growing and surviving. So Trish, you’re still very good, but I’m better.”

Arisa takes a deep breath before continuing.

Arisa: “I’ve earned my spot as the number one contender. I’ve only accomplished what very few have ever done in this sport by becoming Last Survivor and Queen of the Ring in the same year. The one thing I’ve never done is right within reach, and I’m not going to let some deluded legend steal my spot to make more history in the process of grabbing it. Out of respect for your legendary status, I’ll make sure Tam doesn’t make it to 310 days by beating her at Gateway to Glory. Then you can come ask for a title match. But until then, Trish? GET. IN. LINE.”

Arisa flashes a fierce yet toothy grin as she points down the camera.

Arisa: “In this arena, on this night, there’s no Stratusfaction to be had. And the legend who thinks the rules don’t apply to her? She’s getting eclipsed by the Shining Star.”