AF 9: Phoenix vs. Ace Stevens vs. Jason Armstrong (Mayhem #1 contender, Mayhem Rules)

[Ty Burna]

Normally, the main event of Aftershock usually features the Mayhem title and although it is being defended this week, the highest slot on the card has been given to the Number One Contenders match for the same belt as Phoenix, Ace Stevens and Jason Armstrong will fight each other for it under Mayhem Rules. This is the second Triple Threat Contenders match where all three men will have this one chance to make it to Kingdom Come. For the two that lose: they miss out this... but for the man that will win: who will it be?

Deadline is Tuesday, May 1st at 11:59 PM Central Time​

 

[Ty Burna]

Jason Armstrong has been granted a 24 hour extension.

 

[Daniel]

Ace Stevens
Under The Blacklight​

In downtown Brooklyn, standing outside a disused factory in the middle of the night. This is a location for no man. Except for Ace Stevens. Traffic, an overhead train, police car sirens - the archetypal sounds of the city that never sleeps – can be heard far off in the distance. Stevens is pacing around, inhaling the midnight air that is all around. He adjusts his backwards-turned baseball cap in a manner which clearly shows irritation on behalf of the former Mayhem champion.

“I am so sick of this.”

Ace pauses, allowing those six words to resonate in the atmosphere.

“It’s seems like every day that goes past, I’m made to jump through more hoops. Every day, I get beaten by some lucky no-mark. Last week on Meltdown, it was Mick Overlast - a man who couldn’t even beat Runn Reynolds Runn. Do you know how much you have to suck, to get beaten by Ricky Runn and Austin Reynolds? And yet he pinned me.

The week before that: Aftershock 7. James Howard rolled me up to steal a victory for his team. I forget their name. The thing is, he could have tried to beat me like a man, but he didn’t. He took the coward’s way out. He got the quick pin and got the hell out of there before I could do anything.

And then we have the match before that. Aftershock 6.”

The former comedian takes a moment to ponder on final four syllables. As he does so, he takes out a cigarette and lights it up.

“The name of that show sticks in my craw like nothing else. It was on that show that I learned that you can dominate three other guys for an entire match. But if some asshole kicks you in the face once, everyone’ll call him the winner. Even now, it pisses me off.

But at Kingdom Come, I have a chance to take back what is mine. Now I know what you’re thinking, “b-b-but Ace, you’re not the number one contender”. The fact is I may as well be. I may as well be the number one contender, and the triple threat match on Aftershock may as well be my warm-up match. Phoenix is simply around to make up the numbers on Aftershock. There were only so many times he could get his ass kicked on Meltdown and Ascension. And that Fairytale Kid? Come on. The guy’s probably gonna be under the influence anyway. He’s the definition of a non-factor.

But talking about some warm-up match before Kingdom Come isn’t why I’m here in Brooklyn. My hometown. Nah, I’m gonna tell you a story. Don’t worry, I ain’t gonna feed you some crap about growing up on the streets, or having a hard life. My childhood was pretty neat, actually. Good parents, good schools, plenty of friends. It was great... except for one thing.”

Ace once again pauses. This time he’s struggling to find a way to articulate his thoughts out loud. This is most out of character for the eternal loudmouth.

“When I was growing up, there was this guy. He was called Marcellus. Now Marcellus was nothing more than a petty criminal. He was one of those guys that would talk about respect, but you wouldn’t be surprised if you found him robbing your house. One of those guys, y’know. Every day, I’d see this guy on the way back for school. And every day, he’d say the same five words to me: “let me hold a dollar”. Which, to anyone who doesn’t know, means “give me a dollar”. And he did this every day. Every. Single. Day. It was like a tax on walking home. You know, one time I didn’t see him. So the next day, he demanded two dollars.

Man, I hated him. And this shit went on for four years, by the way. From when I was 12, to when I was about 16. I remember the day it stopped. Word on the street was that he got picked up by the cops for some crime. I can’t remember for what, exactly. Some petty crime. Handling stolen goods, I think.”

Once again returning to a contemplative state, Stevens ponders on the next part of his tale under a nearby street lamp. The dim light of which intensifies the appearance of the plumes of tobacco smoke.

“And this brings me to the notorious Stevenson Marquel - the man with a rap sheet longer than my arm, and a list of victims that never seems to end. I never knew him personally. You’d hear stories, sure, but I never met him. And from the tales that I heard, I wouldn’t have wanted to. But to me, Marquel and Marcellus – they are one and the same. I look at Marquel pandering to the fans, and all I can see is Marcellus trying to impress his buddies. I hear Marquel cut a promo, and all I hear is Marcellus uttering those immortal words: “let me hold a dollar”.

You see, Stevey – and I hope you’re watching this – this isn’t about cracking jokes anymore. This about me hating everything you stand for. The idea that you consider yourself a role model isn’t just laughable, it’s disgusting. To quote Tupac: “Role is something people play, model is something people make. Both of them are fake”.”

Ace breaks something resembling a smile for the first time, enjoying the paradox of the situation.

“How ironic is it, that it’s your own “boy” that calls you out as a fake, a phony and a fraud? I’d say very. Now before I wrap this up I want to leave you with some parting words. Some words that weren’t written by an overrated, wasn’t-that-good-in-the-first-place rapper.”

Ace puts the cigarette to his mouth and inhales the toxic smoke one last time, before tossing it to the ground.

“I want you to know that if by some fluke I don’t win this triple threat match, don’t for one second think that this is over. This... this thing we got going on, it won’t be over until we have our one-on-one match. Whether that’s at Kingdom Come, the Aftershock after Kingdom Come, or the Aftershock after the Aftershock after Kingdom Come – it don’t matter. What matters is me showing you who the better man is. When we have our match, I’m gonna beat you. I’m gonna beat you till you cry. And then – and only then – will I take my belt back.”

 

[Thriller Ant]

The scene opens with Phoenix walking through a blooming forest, presumably, the same one from a couple weeks ago. The past few weeks have clearly taken a physical toll on him, as his shirtless torso sits a bit hunched over and his jean-clad legs move very slowly. What it unclear, however, is how much of a mental anguish they have caused. Phoenix begins as though he is going to speak multiple times, but can’t seem to bring himself to get the words out.

Further ahead, both Phoenix and the camera see a section of the forest that had been ravaged by fire. Some charred soil can be seen where the successful efforts were made to control the blaze, but everything within the dirt boundary is left scorched and blackened. Phoenix walks over to investigate what is left of this section of the forest, rubbing the burnt tree remains and letting the seared earth run through his hands.

This was one of the oldest parts of the forest. The fire cycles help the forest reproduce. Minoru had said this section last burned about eighty years ago. The soil had used up its potential and now it is back to square one.

Phoenix throws the dirt back onto the forest floor and returns to the path, but continues to look at the nearly barren area.

Without that fire, this section of the forest would be left behind and forgotten.

Phoenix begins walking away from the camera and the scene fades out.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The scene reopens inside a small, one room cabin. The camera pans around, showing a fire in a fireplace to the left and Phoenix sitting with a black duffel bag farther to the right. Behind him is a large window, which looks on onto the forest.

It’s no secret that I’ve been incredibly frustrated and disappointed with myself the past few weeks. I was determined to be a part of Kingdom Come, but now that determination has turned to desperation. I’m sure my opponents this week, Jason Armstrong and Ace Stevens, think they are just as motivated to make it to the biggest show of the year as I am. They haven’t been there before. They haven’t felt that rush of walking out on the stage with the biggest crowd of the year making the loudest reactions of the year. Once you feel that, it becomes like an addiction. You crave that feeling again. That’s why I’ve become so desperate to get back there.

However, self-doubt has begun to creep in to the point where I don’t know if I can achieve that goal on my own. Just like the area we walked past earlier, I am in danger of being left behind and forgotten. Armstrong and Stevens have bright futures ahead of them, while mine grows dimmer with each loss. So what will help me to survive like the fire helps the forest?

He begins to unzip the duffel bag as he continues to speak.

I must go back into my past. Although I have never been a part of the Mayhem Division, Mayhem has been a big part of my career and Mayhem can deliver me out of my slump. I will become the number one contender to the Mayhem Title. I will do it with the help of this.

Out of the bag, Phoenix pulls a block covered with nails, some of which are still coated in blood from the violent first blood match between himself and Blade. He runs his hands over the entire weapon while staring longingly, almost mesmerized by it.

With my impaler here, I have what I’m missing: untamed violence. A rational, confident person does not use something like this. This is the weapon of a man that is completely desperate. Jason Armstrong, Ace Stevens, you guys will have your time to shine at Kingdom Come. The difference is that you want to go to Kingdom Come. Me and my friend here, we need to go. I refuse to be forgotten or left behind, and I will do whatever I need to in order to make sure that doesn’t happen.

Phoenix looks up at the camera as the scene fades to black.

 

[The Bearded One]

Jason Armstrong sits at the computer in his small apartment. It’s an old apartment, but it’s not in terrible condition. Trash litters the floor and dirty clothes are piled up on an old couch. It’s obvious Armstrong hasn’t taken much care of his place over the past several days. He blankly stares at the computer screen. He is trying to send an email to Chelsea, but he doesn’t seem to know what to say to her. He already has several sentences typed and is staring at a blinking cursor while trying to think of what to write next. The email thus far reads:

Chelsea,

I’m so sorry. I let you down again. I can’t bring myself to call you because I don’t want to hear the disappointment in your voice. I know I let you and Jeremy down by not winning the Mayhem Title. I let myself down. I just want to show you that I am still the person you fell in love with. I miss you so much.​

Armstrong continues to stare at the screen. He highlights everything he’s typed so far and hits delete. He types a new, much shorter, email.

Chelsea,

I’m sorry. I did my best, and I failed. I’m so sorry.

Jason​

He hits “send” and the email goes to his wife. Armstrong leans forward and rests his head in his hands. The loss in the Mayhem Title match is really getting to him. He knows it was a surefire way to prove to his wife and son that he has changed and that he wants them back. It’s a crushing feeling to know that he has let his ex-wife and son down yet again. He looks down to the corner of his computer screen and sees that it’s 6:28 p.m., and that he has about a half-hour to get to the weekly Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.

He leaves his apartment and begins the walk to his meeting. He passes by a liquor store, and he stops and stares through the window. Armstrong feels the urge to enter the store and buy a bottle of alcohol. He remembers feeling hopeless, much like he feels right now, and alcohol eased his pain ever so slightly. Armstrong quickly walks away from the store and continues onto his meeting.

The meeting is already underway as Armstrong enters the room. There are about 10 people at the meeting, with slightly more men than women. A woman is finishing telling an emotional story about how drinking has ruined her life as the other people give her encouraging words. Armstrong sits next to a man who appears to be in his late-20s, and the man looks surprised to see Armstrong. The woman finishes her story, and the moderator calls on Armstrong to speak. He seems startled to get called on despite just arriving.

Hi, my name is Jason. I’ve been coming to these meetings for a while now. I used to drink … all the time. I used to turn to drinking when I had nothing else to turn to. It was there for me to help me feel numb to the world around me. At the time, feeling numb was better than whatever I was feeling at the time.

Armstrong thinks for a minute before continuing.

Disappointment. Resentment. That’s what I was feeling. Disappointment in not making it to the Olympics after working my entire life for it. Resentment toward myself for being such a failure. And by drinking, I was numb to those feelings.

For far too long I blamed other people for my problems. I blamed my friends. I blamed my family. I blamed my wife. I mean ex-wife. I blamed everyone but myself for my problems. It drove my friends and family away from me. It caused my wife to divorce me. I was a miserable wreck, but alcohol was there when I felt no one else was.

I eventually took responsibility for my actions. I knew nobody could help me other than myself. So I went to rehab. I got cleaned up. And this week, I celebrated six months of being sober.

The small group claps for Armstrong’s achievement. Armstrong talks right over them.

But today I wanted a drink. I almost walked into a liquor store and bought a drink. I felt like I had let my family down again, and I felt the same disappointment and resentment I used to feel. I was disappointed I failed to win the Mayhem Title last week. I resented the fact that I keep letting my family down. I didn’t enter that store because I knew what would happen to me. I know that it’s up to me to make things better, much like I have been doing.

It’s a fantastic feeling knowing that I have the ability to walk away from alcohol when I feel like I need it the most. I feel like it’s lost its power over me. I feel like I no longer need it and that I can accomplish everything on my own.

Armstrong seems to be filled with a new hope as he continues to talk.

It’s a long road and windy road to redemption, and I just reached my first fork in that road. I decided to continue to take the high road, and it’s a great feeling. I know my life isn’t back in order just yet, but if I keep making the same decisions that I made today, I know everything will work out. I just have to keep my head up and keep on going. I’m going to make mistakes; I realize that. But what makes a man is how he reacts to adversity. I promise that I’ll overcome it, and that I will keep on the path I’m on. It’s the only chance I have to redeem myself for all my past sins and to get my family back. It’s the only chance I have to be a success in this life.

Armstrong finally stops, and he smiles as the other members of the group congratulate him on speaking his mind. Armstrong feels as if the weight of the world is off his shoulders. He knows that if he is strong enough to turn down the urge to drink, then he is strong enough to overcome any adversity. The moderator dismisses the group for a break. Armstrong steps outside to get a breath of fresh air, and he hears a call from behind.

Jason! Jason! Wait up!

It’s the man Armstrong was sitting next to during the meeting. He jogs to catch up with Armstrong before speaking.

I knew I recognized you! Jason Armstrong! From WZCW!

Armstrong nods his head. He usually doesn’t like talking to people, but he’s in a good mood right now.

It’s so great to meet you! I’m a huge wrestling fan. I never thought I’d get the chance to meet a wrestler. Not that this is the situation I’d want to meet one in. But still, it’s really cool.

He shakes Armstrong’s hand.

It’s nice to meet you too, ummm –

Chad. My name’s Chad.

It’s nice to meet you Chad. I’m not sure what you’re going through, but I know why you’re here. You need help from alcoholism. You’ve made the first step coming here, and I hope everything works out for you.

Chad smiles at Armstrong’s words.

Thanks Jason. That means a lot to me. It’s a good thing you had that little revelation in there and that you seemed to have gained confidence. You’re going to need it on this week’s “Aftershock,” huh? You nervous?

Armstrong shoots him a confused look.

You haven’t heard? They don’t do a very good job of keeping you in the loop do they? You’re in a match against Phoenix and Ace Stevens. The winner is the No. 1 contender to Mayhem Title and goes on to “Kingdom Come” to face the champion.

Armstrong is in disbelief at what his new friend told him.

Wow. I just … can’t believe it. I never thought I’d get the chance to wrestle on “Kingdom Come” this early in my career, much less get another chance at the Mayhem Title. This has just been my lucky day, hasn’t it? I’m going to make the most of this opportunity. Last week, I failed to win the Mayhem Title, but I wasn’t involved in the decision. I’ve been given the second chance I’ve been asking for, except instead of Chelsea, it’s for the Mayhem Title. And just like earning my way back to proving to Chelsea that I still love her and we should still be together, I’m going to have to earn another shot at the Mayhem Title and prove I am worthy of holding the belt.

It’s not going to be easy, though. I’m going against two great wrestlers. Ace Stevens is no joke.

Chad groans at Armstrong’s joke, even though Armstrong wasn’t intending one.

He is a former Mayhem Champion, so he knows what it takes to be at the top of the mountain in the division. Ace has been on a bit of a slide lately, but that only makes him more dangerous and motivated to win and recapture his belt. He knows what it’s like to hold the gold, and I know that he will do anything he can to get that belt back around his waist. I hate to disappoint him, but I can’t allow that to happen. I need to win that belt. I need to show Chelsea that I’m not a failure. There is no better way to do that than by winning the Mayhem Title at the biggest show of the year in “Kingdom Come.” But I can’t get there without winning this match. I can promise you, Stevens won’t be laughing when I have my hand raised at the end of the match.

Chad once again groans and shakes his head at Armstrong’s poor choice of words.

But Ace ain’t the only other wrestler in the match. For the second straight “Aftershock,” I find myself in a triple threat match. Last week, other than the Mayhem Champion, the other wrestler was another newcomer such as myself in Joseph Greaves. This week, it couldn’t be more different. Other than a former Mayhem Champion, the third wrestler in the match is a WZCW veteran; someone who has been in WZCW for as long as I can remember. Someone who has been around longer than almost everyone in Phoenix. Last year, he had a chance for the Elite X Title at “Kingdom Come.” He knows what it’s like to wrestle in big time matches at the biggest event in wrestling. He has to be hungry to get back to the Promised Land, especially coming off the losing streak he’s been on as of late. He failed to qualify for the King for a Day Elimination Chamber match. At the last “Meltdown,” he lost to Johnny Scumm. This has to be eating Phoenix up inside. I know that Phoenix wants to get back to where he was last year at this time, and that is a in a championship match at “Kingdom Come.” He’s going to be disappointed when it comes the night of “Kingdom Come” and he sees my name as the No. 1 contender for the Mayhem Title, and not his.

Armstrong runs his fingers through his scruffy beard before he continues his train of thought.

I’m going against two great opponents. I’m going to be in the fight of my life, but I’ve been in tough positions before. I’ve overcome the odds many times in my life, and I sure as hell know I can do it at least one more time. The road to redemption is a long and windy one, and at “Aftershock” I face a potential roadblock. And you know what? I accept it with open arms. I realized I have no one to rely on but myself, and that it’s up to be to right everything that I’ve done wrong. Winning at “Aftershock” will give me a head start on doing just that. By winning at “Aftershock,” I move on to “Kingdom Come.” It’s there that I can prove to Chelsea, Jeremy and myself that I am not a failure. I am going to be a success. I can’t allow my past demons to drag me down to hell. This week on “Aftershock,” I will exorcize those demons when my hand is raised in victory.

Armstrong puts his hand on Chad’s back and they walk back into the meeting. Armstrong has a newfound confidence in himself and his ability to get his life back in order. He knows this newfound confidence is just what he needed going into the biggest match of his life.