woo a TiTle

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The world is a dark and lonely place, nowadays. Hell, that's how it's always been. Whatever happened to the good old days of everyone helping each other out? It feels like people are getting greedier and angrier as time goes on. You could say I'm not one to talk, but I haven't changed a bit. I've always been the piece of shit I am from day one. But take a look at the state of Wrestleworld. You've got the World's Finest going at it again, this time with Nobi and Reno against Hana and April. One rivalry ends, and another starts. It never ends with these people. You can even look closer at a guy like Nobi. He used to be such a good guy. Loved and respected by everyone because...well...he's Nobi. A few months later, and he's out here calling people virgins and retards. And he's still being cheered, because who else is there to cheer for? It seems like everyone has some unattractive quality that gives people an excuse to dislike them. Nobi's list continues to grow and grow. But it's not about him. It's about this business as a whole. People used to help each other move up. They used to support each other. And now they'll throw each other under the bus if it helps them. Wrestling has turned into a free for all in a hunt for glory and gold. But I talk like I disapprove. I've always been a fan of it, and I'm happening to notice that sort of attitude on the rise. It makes sense. I guess people noticed that they weren't getting anywhere with what they're doing right now. People grew tired and frustrated with the results they were getting. That leads to what we're having now. A new breed of pissed off wrestlers. Bitterness is rising. People aren't satisfied with what they have. Friends are being stabbed in the back and feelings are going to be hurt. But that's just how the world works, nowadays. People are finally realizing that they're better off hated or at least by themselves.

We're seeing it all around us, but we won't be seeing this in this American Dream scramble. I don't think anyone in this thing wants anything to do with each other. There will be no bullshit run-ins. No alliances. Drago and I have no friends here, and I doubt Matsuda is going to stoop to that level. Who is she, Claudia? That didn't help HER at the end, even. Everyone is already at that level of self service and greed that you would expect from a title match. You love to see it. The desperation and hunger to win, and trust me, there's going to be plenty of desperation. People try to play this confident act. They try to make people believe that they have it in the bag. That they think nothing of what's about to come. I know what's coming. I know the hardships that are on the way. I know the emotions that are going to be spilled. Determination. Pain. Frustration. Desperation. And then glory. Or the feeling of failure. And everyone's going to eat all that shit up. I think I'll be feeling the glory at the end, but who knows? I've never been a sucker for gold. I'll take it if it falls into my lap, but I've never spent hours obsessing over a gold belt. But that's what we fight for. That's what we kill ourselves for in this business. It's the token of being the best, the strongest, the fastest, whatever. It's what your average wrestler strives for. Especially the belt we're fighting for on Sunday. People act like all the belts in this company are equal. That they all have the same amount of prestigiousness. But we all know that the American Dream championship is the most prized. It's architect held onto it the longest by any means necessary. It's main evented pay-per-view after pay-per-view. When people talk about belts in Wrestleworld, they don't get starry eyed over the freaks in Europe. I'm sure the shogun people have their fair share of fans, but the American audience outnumbers them. And wrestling fans don't have any friends so that rules out the tag belts.

The American Dream championship is the highlight of this company, and here I am. Getting a shot at it for free. People don't like that, and I guess I wouldn't either if I was in their position. But I'm not in their position. I'm the one looking down on the peasants. It's almost more entertaining watching the reactions than the title match itself. People get so worked up over things that don't involve them in the slightest. I know I don't deserve this. I haven't worked for anything at all to earn this. But look at me. I have it anyway! That's already more than most of this roster can say, and I plan to make the most of it. When someone hands you something for free, you take it. That’s human nature, isn’t it? When someone gives you something, you take it without question. The same people who criticize me for grabbing some low hanging fruit would do the same in a heartbeat. I don’t need to listen to people jealous that they couldn’t get there first. People love to tell me things I already know and act like what. They’re educating me? But what they’re really trying to do is make me feel small. To try and exert the little power that they think they have to try and make me believe that they’re above me. Going over tiny scraps of my history like I wasn’t the one that created it. I know what I’ve done. I’ve never denied anything that I’ve done to anyone. I don’t know what they want me to say. Wow, thanks for reminding me! Oh no! I can’t believe I did that! I feel so ashamed! A joke. I hope they know it only makes them look stupid. I doubt it.

I never thought that you would run back to Maverick, Drago. Didn’t you walk out on the man? Didn’t his queen shove us both into this match? I guess your history makes it easier to forgive the guy. Fair enough, I guess. He won’t be the one pinning me, but I doubt this is the last time anyone brings him up. Tell me, what is good company? I’ve never come upon anyone here that I’ve been willing to call that. Acquaintances. Pawns. People to use. But never good company, because I’ve never trusted someone enough to confide in. I’ve been doing fine on my own, haven’t I? I doubt that anyone will change my view of that. People are only good for using and throwing away. Sucking every last drop of value out of them until they’re completely worthless. You’ve seen Cash Corleone. Banished from this company after handing out title shots like candy on halloween. You’ve seen people chewed up and spit out for existing. Even groups like the Underworld and World’s Finest. They’re supposed to be allies. Good company for each other, but it always seems like one of them was at the other’s throat. All the fucking time. I’m at the point where friends are worthless to me. You’re right, all they do is inflate a man’s ego. Providing shitty help to the point where one relies on them. But you don’t see anyone around me now, do you? I’ve been on my own for a while now. Nobody to hype me up, to keep me grounded, whatever. But you seem to have no problem doing the former on your own. And the fact that you bring up Akuma is laughable. I’ll admit that I was a prestigious bastard coming into this company. He didn’t help with that at all. But we can admit that he helped with a lot of other things, right? Well...I used him to help myself. Close enough. I used him to claw myself up from the basement of being new. Take a look at newcomers in this company. Banished to the B-shows and undercard. Shoved in unwinnable matches, random tag matches, battle royals, you name it. He allowed me to cut the line straight to stardom. I could put up with his incompetency long enough to shoot me straight to the top. And then once I made it up there, I didn’t need him anymore. Hell, nobody needed him anymore. I didn’t kill the guy. He’s not dead. He’s just gone. Wrestleworld was just too lazy to report him missing. I’m sure there was a bit of ego involved in taking him out. Everyone has one, especially in this business. But I’m sure he was getting on everyone’s nerves at that point. He had one foot out the door. I just opened it a little wider for him, and raised myself up a little higher with it. It’s not that I realized at that moment he couldn’t do anything more for me. Our split was obvious. I knew a long time before that moment that his value was gone. Sure, it was an act of frustration, but we all knew it was coming at some point. Turning on someone implies that we were ever on the same path in the first place.

But it's funny how you think you know better. You think you can just read me like an open book. Trying to sound all philosophical and all seeing. But all I'm seeing is hot air. Empty words shit out of your mouth to impress others. Blathering guesses that you try and call mind games. Every time I see you open your mouth, I cringe, because I know either some corny bragging or shitty analysis is going to come out. You are not the future that we're all waiting for. The room doesn't shake in fear when you enter. You say that you accept all your mistakes, but you take yourself way too seriously. You have the audacity to accuse me of being an egotistical piece of shit, but hey. I don't deny it. But it's pretty rich coming from Drago Santiago. Tag matches aren't great, but you act like they mean nothing. That the presence of an extra person completely invalidates a match. Tag losses are losses too. Especially when you're the weakest link. And oh, I'm sure you've been in some successful tag team way back in your past. But I just call it like I see it. It's not like I believe anything you say. Hot air, remember? But I do agree with one statement. The people need proof. Well, I wouldn't say need. It appears that the people will believe anything their favorite wrestler says. But proof is needed to convince them otherwise. Someone needs to be made an example of. Despite what I see in you, you've accumulated a sad little following of what. Fear? Respect? I'm going to show them your true colors. I'm going to create that proof that you beg for. With your logic, it'll erase all the slander against me. It'll create the respect that you believe I crave. But I don't get it for myself. I get it to spite you. To finally expose those strong words as lies. You've built quite the reputation so far, I can't deny that. But I'm going to erase it in one match. Outlaw rules. Your only mercy will be that maybe you won't be coming back to face the shame.

But while Drago and I spit insults at each other, Cloud runs around on talk shows and interviews. Shows what you think if this match, doesn’t it? Caught up in the media blur. In the fame and glory of being the American Dream champion. Spreading your brand across the world, and the world eats it up. I don’t blame you. In the position you’re in, everyone wants a piece of you. Everyone wants to know what the champ is doing, what she’s eating, how she works out. It’s only fair to give the people what they want, right? You’re a star. But people have short memories. Without that belt, how long will that level of fame last? How long will people eat up that arrogance and confidence? I’m sure you still have undying hordes of fans, but with the strap gone, that number will drop and drop. I’m sure it feels good, though. Stephanie Matsuda, on every talk show in the country, everyone wants to be her. But in all the fame and attetnion, have you remembered who you’re facing? Do you know who I am at all? Because you really don’t. I’m sure you haven’t paid too much attention to your challengers, lately. You’ve spent more time cursing Claudia’s name then preparing for the guy who’s right in front of you. She’s a little shit, sure. But nothing you say will change the match she threw at you. Complaining about her position of power won’t take her out of it. If I were you, I would take what’s thrown at me and win. Whining won’t change anything, and unless you’re willing to take some action, it’ll continue to change nothing. It just makes her happy because she knows she’s in your head. She knows that you’re thinking about her. She’ll know that you’re extremely unhappy about this situation. With all this venting, you’re only giving her satisfaction. She’s laughing at you. The person in charge of your belt has a hatred for everyone who holds and will ever hold that belt. Maybe it’s time to get used to it. But I’m almost offended that you grouped me in with her and Maverick. I would call it disrespect, but I suspect ignorance. You really know nothing about me. You think I’m associated with those clowns? You think Claudia’s doing me a favor by even putting me in this match? What kind of dream world do you live in? My title shot was coming whether you liked it or not. Claudia just felt the need to make it harder for all of us. After all she’s done to make me hate her, you think I’m hiding behind her skirts? I want what you’re smoking.

I’m happy with what I can get because it’s literally been handed to me. If I really wanted a title opportunity, I would be happy to work my way over to you the hard way. But I don’t need to take the hard way. I’ve never called myself a hard worker. If someone gives you something, you take it. It’s like turning down the winning lottery ticket so you can make that fortune working at Burger King. You said it yourself, you would be happy to face me anyways, right? So this shouldn’t make a difference. I’m just cashing in on what was handed to me. But let’s say that I’m an idiot. Let’s say that I refused not Maverick’s, but Cash’s offer and decided to work my way up the the title scene the old fashioned way. Let’s say that I “had the guts to step up to you for a challenge” and said…hey. Give me a shot at that title. I wonder what you would say. Probably not yes. Because Stephanie Matsuda is delusional. You expect people to go through the same hardships. Jump through the same hoops you did in order to even get a shot at your level. That’s not how the world works. People take shortcuts. They cut the line, and it’s all allowed. It’s smart. Why spend so much energy with one way when you can easily get the same result with another? You seem to think that there’s only one good way to a result. Because everyone’s not all good and pure like you. You’d say that you know that, but do you really? Do you even see the people turning to that side right in front of you? Nobi’s about to start feuding with April just like you did, with Reno and Hana stuck in the middle. I’m sure they won’t hesitate to take some of those less honorable routes. As much as you’d like to believe, I’m not below you. You see me as just a way to spite Claudia, to show her that you can stop whatever she throws at you. As I’ve said before, I have no afiliation with her. I guess you can spend as much time insulting her as you want when you’re empty handed.

So this is it, isn’t it? The last chance to say something. The last chance to lob an insult, a threat, whatever. I doubt people will listen to me anyways, so only action is needed. I’ve never said that I was entitled to this. I never said I deserved this. But fate has a nice way of bringing things together. I shouldn’t be able to hold this belt at all, but I will. Despite all the reasons why I shouldn’t be champion, I will be the one walking out of By The Sword as the American Dream championship.

Is that a promise? Sure, let’s say that.