AS47: Triple X vs. Justin Cooper (Non Title)

[Ty Burna]

Triple X has been on fire ever since winning the Elite X title and has been dominating the competition. This week, he has a date with former Mayhem champion in Justin Cooper who is looking for someone to take his anger out on from his recent string of losses and possibly prove his worth at being a contender for the Elite X title, who has yet to have an opponent for Kingdom Come. Can Cooper earn himself a chance or will X continue crashing the competition?

Deadline is Tuesday, April 17th at 11:59 PM Central Time.​

 

[Da Prophet]

Justin Cooper sits backstage at the beginning of a case of stairs. He sits with his head down, ignoring anyone that approaches him. Still feeling the effects of his match last week Justin is isolated from everyone else out of choice. He has refused to talk to anyone, except for Iris, since the loss to Everest on Meltdown 71. The loss has hit Justin hard and now, just 10 minutes before his match with Triple X, Justin will speak about it for the first time. He waits for the arrival of one Leon Kensworth who will be conducting this interview.

Finally Leon arrives with a microphone in hand. His suit is a little rough around the edges but otherwise Leon looks presentable. He pulls out a bottle of water and takes a quick sip before looking to begin.

“Excuse me, Justin, you ready?”

As usual Justin does not respond.

“Justin, are you ready for this interview?”

Still nothing.

“If you don’t say anything than I’m going to have to move on. I can be messing around today, I’ve got a lot to do with the show.”

It looks like the interview is going to be called off. Leon grabs his things and takes a step when suddenly Justin responds in a sinister tone.

“Did you see my match last week Mr Kensworth?”

Leon turns back around and moves over toward Justin. He pulls over a chair that was nearby and takes a seat.

“Yes I did. It was a great contest between you and Everest but the legend got the better of you. Happens to everyone sometimes. A lot of the newer guys want to make an impression but come up short at what they had originally planned. You did well though.”

“Spoken like a true reporter.”

Justin looks up with his eyes being blood shot red.

“I didn’t succeed last week because of a stupid official. I closed my eyes for a moment and suddenly it is ruled that I’ve passed out? Tell me Mr Kensworth how is that fair?

“The official made a judgment call that he believed suited the situation at that time. You did look to be fading away Justin.”

Justin raises his voice.

“How does an official take it upon himself to ruin my dreams? What makes it fine for him to make a judgment call that I have to live with? Last week Everest was done, I had him begging for mercy. I could see the finish line but then he wrapped his arms around me for a few seconds and the bell sounded. Never in my life have I been so humiliated. I was embarrassed and now I may never get that respect back.”

“Surely it isn’t that bad Justin. It’s a new week, new opponent, and new chance.”

“You’re wrong Mr Kensworth.”

Justin lowers his head back down.

“You’re dead wrong. Defeat doesn’t just wash away when you enter the shower. Defeat is unlike anything else in that you truly have no control over it. Once defeated you can be crushed for life. Now I face the same problem. I saw the people in the front row taking pictures Mr Kensworth. I saw them comparing each frame to what the other person had. Oh I saw everything that happened.”

“When you say you saw what the fans were doing, what do you mean? Were they pointing at you, laughing or what?”

“Laughter is seen as happiness but it can be used in such a cruel way. I saw children laughing at me because I lost. I saw fathers, mothers even grandparents all pointing and chuckling at my misfortune. In what world is that alright? How can children be allowed to treat others like the way I was treated?”

“To be fair it was only a bit of laughing. They were having fun, isn’t that all that really matters?”

“No it isn’t Mr Kensworth. I don’t care if they’re having fun. I care about winning my matches and being a champion. Those people who were laughing represent the type of people I fight. Just like this week against Triple X. He’s view of the world is to entertain the fans. He has the wrong idea. If you do something for them it’s like throwing your time away. The fans don’t care about us and the sooner Triple X understands this, the sooner he can progress here in WZCW. It’s like he’s getting a rush of being entertaining. If he wants a rush then he can go and jump of a cliff but wrestling isn’t something you do for a rush.”

Justin sits forward, extends his arm and points to a large scar that he has.

“I don’t have scars all over my body from Mayhem matches because I like it. I do this because I respect the business. I do this to prove I am the best. Nobody else has the abiltly like I do and not being in this business would be an injustice. Then you have Triple X who thinks this is a game. No, it isn’t. He so caught up in the bright lights of the professional wrestling business that he doesn’t understand what he is in. Tonight I’m going to make him understand. I’m going to test him like never before. He thinks he knows but he doesn’t. Triple X holds a championship that has been held by legends and he doesn’t even know it.”

“Do you really think he is that ignorant?”

“Of course he’s ignorant! This kid has been around for five minutes and thinks he’s a champion. Look at him walking around here with his title. Triple X, the name in itself reeks of both ignorant and substance abuse. When Triple X steps into that ring tonight no drug, no drink, no pill will be able to stop me. I have made it to the biggest stage of them all and I’ll be damn if this kid is going to stop me from taking yet another step toward superstardom. This night is more than a mere match; it is a crossroads for me. It’s a crossroads for Triple X to but he doesn’t know it. He thinks this is just another match well he’s wrong Mr Kensworth.”

Small pause from Justin.

“Wrong, wrong and wrong. This is no ordinary match, this is the chance of a lifetime. Whether or not X understands is irrelevant because I understand. It’s easy for a fool to become champion but it is harder for a fool to stay champion. I know what it takes to become champion Leon… … but does Triple X know how to keep his title? Was his win a fluke? If you ask me you’re not a real champion until you’ve retained. He hasn't done that yet. While tonight is non-title, you can bet that I will show everyone that this addict is no champion but he is only a user.”

“He’s no longer on that stuff Justin. He’s clean now.”

Justin softly chuckles.

“That’s what he wants you think. He wants the parents and the children to support him. Like sheep the fans believe in him and Triple X eats it up. He has people believing in this new life crap. It isn’t true Mr Kensworth, he is lying. Triple X isn’t clean in fact he’s as dirty as ever. The used needles all over the locker room, it’s disgusting. I’ve seen it. He brings things into the backstage area and then hides in janitors closets while he takes a shot or a sniff of his drugs. It makes me sick to see you manipulated and it makes me sick to see the fans so easily controlled.

“To a certain extent isn't that what you do?”

“I don’t do any type of drugs Mr Kensworth. I’m a little offended at the accusation.”

“No not drugs but controlling people. What is the difference between you and Triple X?”

“I don’t control instead I guide. Plus my people aren’t as stupid as these fans. Triple X is nothing like me and I’d sooner jump of a bridge before I would associate with him.”

After Justin stops speaking a crew member walks up to him and delivers the message that his match is up next. Justin shakes hands with Leon Kensworth before standing up and making a move. Just as Cooper is about to step through the curtain he looks back at Kensworth and delivers one final message.

“Change is in the air Mr Kensworth and I can smell it. I can sense that both Triple X and I are about to create something. Now that change isn’t going to be a new champion tonight but it will be a new contender. Tonight I become the challenger and tonight Triple X finds out that his days as champion are numbered. His reign is coming to an end and after I win tonight I’ll be granted my shot at Kingdom Come.”

Justin walks through the curtain as we fade to black.

 

[BK Styles]

Beams of light shine through the window, leaving long, looming shadows over the hotel bed. It’s a humid morning two days after his match with Mick Overlast, as Triple X, sitting on the bed, is staring into the lens of a video camera. As the red button comes to life, he smiles.

So, my friends, I stand before you, still battered, bruised, put through my paces, and yet…here I stand victorious. Not only a winner, but here…X reaches to the ground and lifts up his Elite X title belt, holding it to the camera...as your Elite X Champion. He pulls the belt back, resting it on his shoulder. To be honest, I’m still in a dream land wearing this thing, and every day I step out there to the deafening roars, doing what only Triple X can, I want you all to know that I do it for you fans. Your Elite X Champion.

Now, with that said, fast approaching is another week, and another challenge on the horizon. And that horizon takes the form of one Mr Justin Cooper. Former Mayhem Champion, leader of this so-called “High Society”. Most of you will have caught him on Meltdown getting his ass handed to him by the Pinnacle of Perfection, the one and only Everest.

You know, it amuses me when someone like Cooper talks smack to a guy, no, a legend, like Everest. It amuses me, mainly because those who talk the smack don’t always have a set to back it up. And Cooper was a guy I threw into that category, and yet…I was wrong. He brought it to Everest, and in the end he lost by inches. But Justin, here’s your problem; you took a legend and chose the negative outlook. You said here lays a man who has had his time, who is old, and who can’t dance anymore.

X laughs, almost to himself.

And yet, the experience that brought this man two world titles was your undoing, and you overlooked it. Nay, you flaunted a pretend belt in his face and attempted to humiliate him. Hey, you wanna piss off Legends, that’s fine by me, but I have to ask Cooper; are you out of your god damn mind? Actually, no, and this here is your main problem. You’re high. You’re the leader of this ‘High Society’, where you probably drink yourself into an alcohol induced coma along with smoking yourself to be higher than the damn moon, and in your infinite idiocy-induced wisdom, you thought this was a good idea.


X pauses, and looks down.

Now, if there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s people believing they’re better than anyone else, and quite clearly, that’s one thing that fits you like a glove; arrogance. See, I don’t go around believing myself to be better than others. Or at least, I certainly don’t see it as a fact, and I go out into the ring to prove my worth, week in, week out. X looks up. And next week on Ascension, I’m gonna shut your mouth, and teach you a little god-damn respect.

X reaches to turn the camera off, then falls backwards back onto the bed, belt still on his shoulder. Justin Cooper. The more he thought about it, the less he could fathom how someone could show so much disrespect to a legend. Everest isn’t just a superstar, he was one of X’s favourite stars back in the day; an inspiration of his to wrestle, and carry on pushing himself to go as far as he could go.

Pondering on this, he sits back up, places the belt onto the bed, and picks up a dvd on Meltdown. He places it into the TV, and perches on the edge of the bed, ready to analyse the match.



The day of Ascension 47…

X exits the locker room in his ring gear and his Elite X title around his waist; it’s not long till the start of the show, but X has been asked for a quick interview before the match. He rounds the corner to the interview area, where Becky Serra and a television crew await. They exchange pleasantries, and get down to the interview.

Ladies and Gentleman, joining me at this time, Triple X. Now X, it’s safe to say you’ve been on a roll as of late, and you hold one of the most sort after title belts in this company. Any added pressure for someone still relatively new like yourself?

Becky, I’ve been asked that question time and again, and the answer stays the same. I relish the pressure. I want people to look at me, expecting me to trip and fall, believing I’ve fluked my way to the place I’m in right now. That way, when they come face-to-face with me and I kick their sorry ass to the curb, their doubts are firmly answered.

In your match this week, you face a former Mayhem Champion in Justin Cooper. Is there an added sense of danger going against a former champion?

Champions know how to win. It’s in their nature. So yeah, there is some danger. But you have to remember that he is a former champion, and he lost last week to a guy he viewed as nothing more than an old antique. I, on the other hand, am the current Elite X Champion. Now, Cooper is an unusual athlete; he likes the hardcore environment, but can go in the ring. And I love a challenge, and I’m sure Cooper will bring just that. But I’ve faced bigger challenges in my life, and it’ll take a lot more than a self-righteous, egotistical assclown like him to stop me doing what Triple X does best.

Speaking of Cooper, you had some rather choice words for him earlier this week; many to do with his treatment of WZCW legend Everest. Your comments?

Look, here’s the thing. I don’t need to stand up for Everest. Everest sure doesn’t need anyone to stand up for him. But what I saw was a guy walking around claiming he was better than a legend in this industry, and one of my heroes. Yeah, that’s right; I’m an Everest fan, and damn proud of it, too. And it damn-sure pisses me off when a guy comes out of the woodwork to disrespect a legend. See, this doesn’t really have anything to do with Everest; this is all about with the respect, or lack-there-of, that Cooper has for this business, and the people that paved the way for guys like he and I.

An almost wicked grin spreads across X’s face.

This is all about respect. I believe in respecting my opponent, Justin, and I respect your abilities and accomplishments. But that’s as far as it goes. It makes me laugh that you talk of how I’m yet to be a real champion when I’m the one here holding a belt, and you’re the one there hoping, praying, begging for a title shot. You see, being someone who knows a little or two about addiction, I can tell that you’re addicted to talking out your ass. But don’t worry, Justin. The first step is admitting it.

X stares into the camera, almost burning a hole directly into the mind of Cooper.

Here’s something I want you to bear in mind Justin. I wowed the people in the Lottery, won the Elite X title at my first effort, and am on the road to Kingdom Come as a champion. And I’ve beaten bigger things than you in my life. Much bigger. The marks on my wrist, you know what they mean? X holds the taped wrists up; the black X’s even more prominent than usual. They stand for straight edge. That means that every problem I’ve had, I didn’t just bury my head in the sand. I stood strong, and kicked it’s ass, and that’s what I do with my problems. And your lack of respect has become somewhat of a problem for me. But don’t worry Cooper, I just love to help. And you’re gonna learn some respect, even if I have to kick it all the way down your throat.


X glares into the camera for a few moments, then turns, walking past Serra and in the direction of the curtain, ready to beat his message into the skull of one Justin Cooper.