Richard Blonoff
Make America Rassle Again
Deadline is Tuesday, January 19th at 11:59PM. Extensions available upon request.
Apocalypse: Eve Taylor(c) vs. Garth Black - Elite Openweight Title
- Thread starter Richard Blonoff
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Richard Blonoff
Make America Rassle Again
Deadline has been extended by 24 hours.
If patience is a virtue, then the ability to cope with anticipation without anxiety is its measure. For too long, Garth Black has been waiting for an opportunity to show himself to be a champion on his own merit. He has been a team player, but yet despite having first appeared here some 6 years ago, he has yet to have a single opportunity at any title. Tonight, the time has come and the opportunity has arisen, seemingly from nowhere.
Black has, for whatever reason, caught himself at the dog end of the Cerberus story. They have disbanded, yet the bond shared between them has remained like a stagnant stream stubbornly refusing to evaporate. Black's defeat at the hand of the male members of that group has brought out the elitism in the Elite champion. Forever convinced of her status and worthiness for the crown, she has moved in on what she believes to be an easy target. If her two subordinates made fairly light work of Black, then it only stands to reason that she herself would be able to do so. What chance, after all, does Black have to beat a woman who beat both of his previous conquerors?
But this view is shortsighted, and we must consider the further circumstances within which we see presented. Black has made it clear that he believes there to be a conspiracy laid out before him, and at first glance his convictions seem to be utterly preposterous. However, if we dig a little deeper, we begin to see a pattern emerging from the six years of false starts and failed endeavours. Black, when present and healthy, has never failed to beat any opponent outside of the graces of the WZCW creative team. This point is perhaps irrelevant at first glance, but then we see that when cornered before, Black has come out kicking. His record at PPV events is remarkably good, his record at winning when the chips are down and the cards are dealt is even stronger. Taylor had better not take this threat lightly, because to do so could see the Queen of Fashion dethroned and turn the catwalk into a highway to hell.
The crowd could be a decisive factor here. Black has moaned and whinged his way through the last two months, but in the asylum the merely half crazy man is king. Some of the assertions he has made about the product and direction of the company remain true. Again we have a defending champion who will not compete at the pay per view. Again he is not competing with Steven Holmes, an event that both the crowd and he so clearly want to see. So instead we see an attempt at placating both with this title match seemingly apropos of nothing. As long as the company keep treating him in this manner, the snowball of support he is receiving may turn into an avalanche. Time will tell.
The irony of it all is that Black does not want this title opportunity, not like this. He has made it clear that his intentions are to win the WZCW championship and then to walk out of the company forever, a final parting shot to those that have wronged him. Rightly or wrongly, he sees this opportunity as a diversion tactic. The powers that be are going to sacrifice the Elite Openweight championship and allow it to be upheld by a wrestler too proud not to give his full effort to every bout. At which point, he will be trapped and fed cannon fodder. Lose deliberately, and he will be weakened and forced to even lower echelons of the match card. Win, and he will be forever confined to this level, defending the title against inferior wrestlers. A victim of his own success. Make no mistake: Garth Black does not want to win the Elite Openweight title. His integrity will not allow him to throw this match, but he knows that this is intended as a prison masquerading as an opportunity. Never in the history of professional wrestling has a wrestler wanted to hear words as indecisive as these:
'and your winner, by knock out is Garth Black, however the title can only change hands by pin fall or submission'
Garth Black wants to win this battle, but if he takes the trophy he will lose the war.
Black has, for whatever reason, caught himself at the dog end of the Cerberus story. They have disbanded, yet the bond shared between them has remained like a stagnant stream stubbornly refusing to evaporate. Black's defeat at the hand of the male members of that group has brought out the elitism in the Elite champion. Forever convinced of her status and worthiness for the crown, she has moved in on what she believes to be an easy target. If her two subordinates made fairly light work of Black, then it only stands to reason that she herself would be able to do so. What chance, after all, does Black have to beat a woman who beat both of his previous conquerors?
But this view is shortsighted, and we must consider the further circumstances within which we see presented. Black has made it clear that he believes there to be a conspiracy laid out before him, and at first glance his convictions seem to be utterly preposterous. However, if we dig a little deeper, we begin to see a pattern emerging from the six years of false starts and failed endeavours. Black, when present and healthy, has never failed to beat any opponent outside of the graces of the WZCW creative team. This point is perhaps irrelevant at first glance, but then we see that when cornered before, Black has come out kicking. His record at PPV events is remarkably good, his record at winning when the chips are down and the cards are dealt is even stronger. Taylor had better not take this threat lightly, because to do so could see the Queen of Fashion dethroned and turn the catwalk into a highway to hell.
The crowd could be a decisive factor here. Black has moaned and whinged his way through the last two months, but in the asylum the merely half crazy man is king. Some of the assertions he has made about the product and direction of the company remain true. Again we have a defending champion who will not compete at the pay per view. Again he is not competing with Steven Holmes, an event that both the crowd and he so clearly want to see. So instead we see an attempt at placating both with this title match seemingly apropos of nothing. As long as the company keep treating him in this manner, the snowball of support he is receiving may turn into an avalanche. Time will tell.
The irony of it all is that Black does not want this title opportunity, not like this. He has made it clear that his intentions are to win the WZCW championship and then to walk out of the company forever, a final parting shot to those that have wronged him. Rightly or wrongly, he sees this opportunity as a diversion tactic. The powers that be are going to sacrifice the Elite Openweight championship and allow it to be upheld by a wrestler too proud not to give his full effort to every bout. At which point, he will be trapped and fed cannon fodder. Lose deliberately, and he will be weakened and forced to even lower echelons of the match card. Win, and he will be forever confined to this level, defending the title against inferior wrestlers. A victim of his own success. Make no mistake: Garth Black does not want to win the Elite Openweight title. His integrity will not allow him to throw this match, but he knows that this is intended as a prison masquerading as an opportunity. Never in the history of professional wrestling has a wrestler wanted to hear words as indecisive as these:
'and your winner, by knock out is Garth Black, however the title can only change hands by pin fall or submission'
Garth Black wants to win this battle, but if he takes the trophy he will lose the war.
Viola Moonlight
I'm Literally Just Here for WZCW
It was after hours and the main corporate offices had already shut. Not a single soul was inside the building, especially with the last final show of the biggest WZCW World Tour in history, it wasn't a surprise. For most of the World Tour, the corporate offices were down to a skeleton crew, making life difficult for Eve Taylor and Senshuken (her Elite Openweight championship) to get inside. Now, Eve knew that everyone of importance she could discuss any issue she had on her mind was outside of the United States... but she wasn't here to talk; Eve had begun to enjoy the silence and travelling alone. What Eve was really looking after was a way to visit the WZCW Vault, a museum of sorts - open to the public - of all past superstars, records, legends... anything that has been recorded in WZCW's history was on display here. Luckily for her, she managed to contact whoever was left in charge and gained access to the Vault.
Eve Taylor wandered throughout the vault with a keen eye and an eager mind to learn of WZCW's history. Never had Eve been so enthralled with visiting a museum; she wasn't one to fully appreciate relics of a bygone era as Eve always had the mindset of looking towards the future. Whilst this was still true, experiencing being called a relic has caused Eve to be a little more forgiving to the past. She did not want to be the kind of person to sit back and rest on her accomplishments. She wanted to be the person who continued to achieve them and set new records, and then challenging her own milestones on top of that. However, Eve acknowledged that she needed to brush up on her history before she could set out on that path, which was the very reason she made pit-stop back to the States before heading out to Brazil for Apocalypse. She wanted to know everything she could do with her only friend left Senshuken and see how they could strengthen their bond together to become the greatest Elite Openweight champion of all time.
After taking some time reading up on Celeste Crimson - Eve Taylor's dream opponent - Eve sauntered over to the Championship wing where many faces were displayed around the original Elite X championship, the first-ever incarnation of Senshuken. She saw men like Big Will who was the 1st ever person to hold the title, WZCW Legend Titus who was the first champion to defend the title on multiple occasions... Eve read throughout the entire history alongside Senshuken, absorbing every word & face until two names stood out: Sam Smith & Constantine, arguably the two greatest Elite champions the company has ever seen. Constantine for achieving the most amount of successful title defenses and Sam Smith for becoming the longest reigning champion, the two of the most important records which can define not only a champion but the greatest.
"Look at you, Senshuken!" Eve mentioned to her championship. "You've been through a hell of a lot, haven't you? And you're almost nine years old! I think you've experience more in your life than I have at that point. Must've been great, having people fighting just for the chance to put you on their shoulder and raise you up high."
Eve was in awe of Senshuken... but as she read further into Senshuken's history, she noticed something. Constant changes. Many times had the championship been re-invented or re-invigorated over the years. From the original X design to Holmes' Elite branding to the gauntlet rules and now the Openweight status of the title. Not only this but the positioning of the Senshuken amongst the other titles. Eve knew that the World championship was the top title and nothing anybody could do would topple it from the top of the pecking order for any length of time; when the dust settles, the World title would always be at the top... but to see Senshuken rated as the lowest tier title of them all was very surprising.
"Seeing all the history here, how could this prestigious championship be so low on the totem pole?" Eve questioned herself.
That was the least of her worries about Senshuken: how could people ever forget about the championship so many times that they've had to continually update Senshuken on multiple occasions? Eve had experience the pain of being forgotten before, not only by her friends but by society at large when she was cast aside and replaced by a newer looking model to wow the audiences when they got bored of Eve. It killed her inside to feel that pain and even though she has accepted this, some nights it came to haunt Eve for but a brief moment. Eve wouldn't wish this feeling on her worst enemies and she certainly didn't want Senshuken to go through another traumatic experience again. Between Eve & Senshuken, mathematicians would need to come up with a number higher than infinity to count the shattered fragments of their lives.
"Don't worry, Senshuken." Eve reassured, not knowing if she was doing it to reassure the title or herself. "I'm always going to be here for you. I will defend you with honour & pride and give it my all to make sure you get the proper showing you deserve just like Sam Smith & Constantine showed you once upon a time."
That phrase "once upon a time"... it was synonymous with fairy tales and legends passed around the fire, stories that never existed. Whilst the stories of Smith & Constantine achieving these records were definitely true - unless, of some reason, the World of WZCW somehow turned out to be a completely fictitious place - it almost felt like many generations had past since these were accomplished. To Eve, it felt like yesterday when she challenged Constantine to a championship match under the gauntlet rules but to everyone else, they've seemed to forgotten the importance of Senshuken as it were a myth.
"I promise you this, Senshuken. I will not forget you."
As a model, Eve Taylor said many things she didn't believe in. Her job was to fulfill her commitments outlined in her contracts with fashion magazines and in the photo shoots. She was a role-player and it was her job to get into character & get into the part of whatever she was required to that week, saying many things she never thought she'd say or do... but this was not her character talking, this was Eve Taylor the person. She had a contract but she wasn't bound to say anything; Eve meant every single word of that sentence and it came from the heart. Even though her time with Senshuken had been laced with creating more shattered fragments & drama, she would never forget the Elite belt and it was her job to never forget any person who stood up to the plate & gave it their all to show their appreciation for the championship.... James Howard, Flex Mussel, Ramparte... hell, even SHIT tried despite being unable to compete at his best... and with Apocalypse approaching, her fifth competitor to stand in her way, Garth Black.
Eve didn't need to venture through the halls of the vault to know about Garth Black. She would've felt rather silly if Eve had to actually view his profile and read it so she could "fully understand" the man known as Garth Black. There was much more to reading an opponent than actually reading about their opponent on some Wikipedia-type page. If Eve had any hope of studying Black properly, she needed to do it the hard way. Like every challenger who looked to dethrone Eve, she went through their records & matches and studied them intently. Learning how they moved in the ring, their signature moves... the usual homework... but unlike any opponent she had studied before, Garth Black was a light light. Aside from a few big matches like defeating Abel Hunnicutt at Kingdom Come and dethroning the then-longest reigning tag team champions the Full House Daves, there wasn't really much else on Black. To any normal competitor, this would seem like Garth Black's multi-year career in WZCW was essentially all for naught. Competitors like Dorian Slaughter achieved much more in a shorter span of time than Garth Black did in his most successful stint... but Eve understood what it's like to be in the same position as Black.
"I have been forgotten before, just like you Senshuken," Eve began, "but the thing about us is that we survived. We broke free from the underbelly and reminded every single person here who we are and why we were so important. Garth Black remains in purgatory, looking to break the glass ceiling like we have once before. The key difference between the three of us is that Black has been down there for so long and never has he been as hungry to get out of the abyss as he is now."
Eve turns her head to her Elite Openweight title.
"Have you ever seen a hungry person, Senshuken?" She queried. "Not the kind of hungry who wishes to win a championship and make a name for themselves. That's the fake kind of hungry. It's the type of hungry people use when they wish to indulge in dessert after eating dinner. They've had their fill but they want more... no, I'm talking about the kind of hungry where people haven't eaten at all. Starvation. Malnutrition. The people who have been alive for so long yet haven't had a taste in a very long time. This is Garth Black and he is a very dangerous person. Most people might think nothing of the man who is but skin and bone but when you are that hungry, every situation becomes life & death and they will stop at nothing to continue living. Black is a very unpredictable person Senshuken and he will do everything for a mere lick of success, let alone the whole meal."
Eve paused for a moment to let those thoughts sink in.
"At this point, I don't even know if Garth Black wants to legitimately hold you Senshuken because of your prestigious lineage of being the Elite Openweight championship or if he just wants to prove himself of being a competitor who is worthy enough of being remembered. I'm not sure how far down Garth Black has descended into the darkness from hunger and I don't know whether I'll fight the same calculated, intelligent competitor Garth was known to be or a crazed, ravaged man who's movements are untraceable... and honestly, I'm a little worried Senshuken because either way, one false move and Garth will catch me out."
Eve sighs, taking a second to remove the image of Senshuken & Eve being split apart.
"But I've promised to fight for you, Senshuken, no matter the circumstances. I made a promise to myself that every friend I lost was not in vain when I captured you. I will not let every person who gave me their best shot to challenge us go astray. I cannot allow the legacy of our reign be halted by a mad-man possessed at achieving status and self-dignification over holding you high in the air and defending you with pride. I'm here to make sure you Senshuken, the Elite Openweight championship, is fought for honour & pride. I want to bring you to new heights and through every challenge we face, take one step closer in being the longest reigning champion in history like Sam Smith as well as defending you more times than Constantine ever did. I want the world to remember our reign not only as the most successful and dominating reign but as a beacon of hope, setting the bar for future competitors to see our reign and inspire to become us.
"Can you imagine it, Senshuken? A world where every competitor fights for honour and glory? No more selfish acts. No more hidden agendas. No more crazy people. Just competitors like me fighting for everything we have to hold championships like you... now, I know it's a little ignorant of me to dream of this world to happen in the present because all of these negatives ideas still exist but we can still do our best to lead the charge and work towards a competitive future, right? That starts with Garth Black, a man so lost in validating himself he has already been consumed."
Another sigh from Eve.
"I was really looking forward to facing the veteran Garth Black in a competitive environment but alas, I face a man who will use any underhanded tactic to get his chance at stardom... I mean, can you believe he'd fake an injury just to get the General Managers to sympathise with him, Senshuken? Didn't he think beating Abel was enough?"
Eve let the question linger in the air for a moment before looking down at her watch, realizing the time. She propped up the Elite Openweight title on her shoulders and walked up to the glass cabinet where the original Elite X title was hanging on the wall, shining and gleaming.
"One day Senshuken, you'll be up there and I'll be right next to you... but before we can get there, let's begin 2016 by kicking Garth Black's ass at Apocalypse!"
Eve Taylor wandered throughout the vault with a keen eye and an eager mind to learn of WZCW's history. Never had Eve been so enthralled with visiting a museum; she wasn't one to fully appreciate relics of a bygone era as Eve always had the mindset of looking towards the future. Whilst this was still true, experiencing being called a relic has caused Eve to be a little more forgiving to the past. She did not want to be the kind of person to sit back and rest on her accomplishments. She wanted to be the person who continued to achieve them and set new records, and then challenging her own milestones on top of that. However, Eve acknowledged that she needed to brush up on her history before she could set out on that path, which was the very reason she made pit-stop back to the States before heading out to Brazil for Apocalypse. She wanted to know everything she could do with her only friend left Senshuken and see how they could strengthen their bond together to become the greatest Elite Openweight champion of all time.
After taking some time reading up on Celeste Crimson - Eve Taylor's dream opponent - Eve sauntered over to the Championship wing where many faces were displayed around the original Elite X championship, the first-ever incarnation of Senshuken. She saw men like Big Will who was the 1st ever person to hold the title, WZCW Legend Titus who was the first champion to defend the title on multiple occasions... Eve read throughout the entire history alongside Senshuken, absorbing every word & face until two names stood out: Sam Smith & Constantine, arguably the two greatest Elite champions the company has ever seen. Constantine for achieving the most amount of successful title defenses and Sam Smith for becoming the longest reigning champion, the two of the most important records which can define not only a champion but the greatest.
"Look at you, Senshuken!" Eve mentioned to her championship. "You've been through a hell of a lot, haven't you? And you're almost nine years old! I think you've experience more in your life than I have at that point. Must've been great, having people fighting just for the chance to put you on their shoulder and raise you up high."
Eve was in awe of Senshuken... but as she read further into Senshuken's history, she noticed something. Constant changes. Many times had the championship been re-invented or re-invigorated over the years. From the original X design to Holmes' Elite branding to the gauntlet rules and now the Openweight status of the title. Not only this but the positioning of the Senshuken amongst the other titles. Eve knew that the World championship was the top title and nothing anybody could do would topple it from the top of the pecking order for any length of time; when the dust settles, the World title would always be at the top... but to see Senshuken rated as the lowest tier title of them all was very surprising.
"Seeing all the history here, how could this prestigious championship be so low on the totem pole?" Eve questioned herself.
That was the least of her worries about Senshuken: how could people ever forget about the championship so many times that they've had to continually update Senshuken on multiple occasions? Eve had experience the pain of being forgotten before, not only by her friends but by society at large when she was cast aside and replaced by a newer looking model to wow the audiences when they got bored of Eve. It killed her inside to feel that pain and even though she has accepted this, some nights it came to haunt Eve for but a brief moment. Eve wouldn't wish this feeling on her worst enemies and she certainly didn't want Senshuken to go through another traumatic experience again. Between Eve & Senshuken, mathematicians would need to come up with a number higher than infinity to count the shattered fragments of their lives.
"Don't worry, Senshuken." Eve reassured, not knowing if she was doing it to reassure the title or herself. "I'm always going to be here for you. I will defend you with honour & pride and give it my all to make sure you get the proper showing you deserve just like Sam Smith & Constantine showed you once upon a time."
That phrase "once upon a time"... it was synonymous with fairy tales and legends passed around the fire, stories that never existed. Whilst the stories of Smith & Constantine achieving these records were definitely true - unless, of some reason, the World of WZCW somehow turned out to be a completely fictitious place - it almost felt like many generations had past since these were accomplished. To Eve, it felt like yesterday when she challenged Constantine to a championship match under the gauntlet rules but to everyone else, they've seemed to forgotten the importance of Senshuken as it were a myth.
"I promise you this, Senshuken. I will not forget you."
As a model, Eve Taylor said many things she didn't believe in. Her job was to fulfill her commitments outlined in her contracts with fashion magazines and in the photo shoots. She was a role-player and it was her job to get into character & get into the part of whatever she was required to that week, saying many things she never thought she'd say or do... but this was not her character talking, this was Eve Taylor the person. She had a contract but she wasn't bound to say anything; Eve meant every single word of that sentence and it came from the heart. Even though her time with Senshuken had been laced with creating more shattered fragments & drama, she would never forget the Elite belt and it was her job to never forget any person who stood up to the plate & gave it their all to show their appreciation for the championship.... James Howard, Flex Mussel, Ramparte... hell, even SHIT tried despite being unable to compete at his best... and with Apocalypse approaching, her fifth competitor to stand in her way, Garth Black.
Eve didn't need to venture through the halls of the vault to know about Garth Black. She would've felt rather silly if Eve had to actually view his profile and read it so she could "fully understand" the man known as Garth Black. There was much more to reading an opponent than actually reading about their opponent on some Wikipedia-type page. If Eve had any hope of studying Black properly, she needed to do it the hard way. Like every challenger who looked to dethrone Eve, she went through their records & matches and studied them intently. Learning how they moved in the ring, their signature moves... the usual homework... but unlike any opponent she had studied before, Garth Black was a light light. Aside from a few big matches like defeating Abel Hunnicutt at Kingdom Come and dethroning the then-longest reigning tag team champions the Full House Daves, there wasn't really much else on Black. To any normal competitor, this would seem like Garth Black's multi-year career in WZCW was essentially all for naught. Competitors like Dorian Slaughter achieved much more in a shorter span of time than Garth Black did in his most successful stint... but Eve understood what it's like to be in the same position as Black.
"I have been forgotten before, just like you Senshuken," Eve began, "but the thing about us is that we survived. We broke free from the underbelly and reminded every single person here who we are and why we were so important. Garth Black remains in purgatory, looking to break the glass ceiling like we have once before. The key difference between the three of us is that Black has been down there for so long and never has he been as hungry to get out of the abyss as he is now."
Eve turns her head to her Elite Openweight title.
"Have you ever seen a hungry person, Senshuken?" She queried. "Not the kind of hungry who wishes to win a championship and make a name for themselves. That's the fake kind of hungry. It's the type of hungry people use when they wish to indulge in dessert after eating dinner. They've had their fill but they want more... no, I'm talking about the kind of hungry where people haven't eaten at all. Starvation. Malnutrition. The people who have been alive for so long yet haven't had a taste in a very long time. This is Garth Black and he is a very dangerous person. Most people might think nothing of the man who is but skin and bone but when you are that hungry, every situation becomes life & death and they will stop at nothing to continue living. Black is a very unpredictable person Senshuken and he will do everything for a mere lick of success, let alone the whole meal."
Eve paused for a moment to let those thoughts sink in.
"At this point, I don't even know if Garth Black wants to legitimately hold you Senshuken because of your prestigious lineage of being the Elite Openweight championship or if he just wants to prove himself of being a competitor who is worthy enough of being remembered. I'm not sure how far down Garth Black has descended into the darkness from hunger and I don't know whether I'll fight the same calculated, intelligent competitor Garth was known to be or a crazed, ravaged man who's movements are untraceable... and honestly, I'm a little worried Senshuken because either way, one false move and Garth will catch me out."
Eve sighs, taking a second to remove the image of Senshuken & Eve being split apart.
"But I've promised to fight for you, Senshuken, no matter the circumstances. I made a promise to myself that every friend I lost was not in vain when I captured you. I will not let every person who gave me their best shot to challenge us go astray. I cannot allow the legacy of our reign be halted by a mad-man possessed at achieving status and self-dignification over holding you high in the air and defending you with pride. I'm here to make sure you Senshuken, the Elite Openweight championship, is fought for honour & pride. I want to bring you to new heights and through every challenge we face, take one step closer in being the longest reigning champion in history like Sam Smith as well as defending you more times than Constantine ever did. I want the world to remember our reign not only as the most successful and dominating reign but as a beacon of hope, setting the bar for future competitors to see our reign and inspire to become us.
"Can you imagine it, Senshuken? A world where every competitor fights for honour and glory? No more selfish acts. No more hidden agendas. No more crazy people. Just competitors like me fighting for everything we have to hold championships like you... now, I know it's a little ignorant of me to dream of this world to happen in the present because all of these negatives ideas still exist but we can still do our best to lead the charge and work towards a competitive future, right? That starts with Garth Black, a man so lost in validating himself he has already been consumed."
Another sigh from Eve.
"I was really looking forward to facing the veteran Garth Black in a competitive environment but alas, I face a man who will use any underhanded tactic to get his chance at stardom... I mean, can you believe he'd fake an injury just to get the General Managers to sympathise with him, Senshuken? Didn't he think beating Abel was enough?"
Eve let the question linger in the air for a moment before looking down at her watch, realizing the time. She propped up the Elite Openweight title on her shoulders and walked up to the glass cabinet where the original Elite X title was hanging on the wall, shining and gleaming.
"One day Senshuken, you'll be up there and I'll be right next to you... but before we can get there, let's begin 2016 by kicking Garth Black's ass at Apocalypse!"
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