MD56: Chris Jones vs Phoenix vs. Sam Smith

[Phoenix]

Deadline is Tuesday 10th May 23:59 EST

 

[ZeroVX]

From the Notes of Dr. Alice Cotten

It has come to my attention that Jones is the type to only focus on things that interest him personally. Anything that doesn't involve this so-called "plan" of his is completely irrelevant, except when he has some personal grudge to settle. Which is why it was so unusual that after the Triple Threat match between him, Sam Smith, and Phoenix was announced that Jones became rather quiet. Normally, he would go on a spiel about all the things he was going to do to Smith for daring to mock him, etc etc. Yet he's barely said a word since the announcement. He only spoke to me recently because I came to him when he was getting ready for a promo.

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*camera cuts to a darkened locker room, the only light source being the camera itself. Voices can be heard offscreen*

It's part of the deal for me to observe you under your typical conditions.

I must've missed the part when having someone sit in on my promos taking notes were my "typical conditions".

I'll be out of frame the whole time. It'll be like I'm not even here, just the way you like it.

*camera moves slightly as white-gloved hands move it into position, showing Chris Jones sitting on a bench, grumbling to himself*

Jones: Yeah, if it was the way I liked it, you wouldn't have come here at all...

*Jones finishes adjusting the camera and leans forward, arms crossed as he stares into the lens*

Jones: You already know who I am, what I do, why I do it. Well, maybe not that last part, but you get the idea. You already know that I make things personal because it's easiest for me. It gives me motivation that is normally incredibly lacking. I went through a pretty bad patch a while ago because of a lack of motivation. So, naturally, after the idiocy Sam Smith pulled, I find myself plenty motivated to start raining down some unholy destruction on his poor, pathetic soul.

*Jones sighs, scratching the back of his neck*

Jones: Now, this is usually where I tell you how infuriated I am for Smith daring to disrespect me, how he's a weak and foolish moron for thing he's better than me, and all the wonderful things I'm going to do to him when I get my hands on him. But, there's a problem. A problem that comes between me and my much-desired revenge. And his name is Phoenix.

*Jones glares into the camera, almost as if the camera itself is the reason for his frustration*

Jones: This situation would be a million times simpler if it wasn't for that damned Phoenix! I could just crush Smith into a bloody pulp and present the mess before his idiotic lawyer buddies, but no! He just HAD to be included! Now the entire situation is a mess!

*Jones sighs, clearly regretting what he's going to admit*

Jones: Phoenix is one of the older ones, one of the few who perfectly symbolizes everything in WZCW. Anyone who's anyone knows who he is. If I could beat him...no gimmicks, no tricks, just flat out beat him, my stock in this company would skyrocket. I would be taken as a serious threat instead of just part of the crowd.

*Jones frowns, leaning back a bit*

Jones: But I'm sure some of you are wondering why I should even care about that. After all, I never did before. If I got a title on my way to my ultimate goal, so be it. But...and please understand how hard it is for me to say this.....I liked it. As short as my two Mayhem title reigns were, I enjoyed them. It was a taste of glory, and God help me, I want more.

*Jones sighs, looking down*

Jones: It's what we do. What I do. I am a professional wrestler. I want to make it to the top, no matter what the cost. I have to struggle to make it there, climb over countless others and fight tooth and claw. I guess it just took me a while to realize that. Maybe I grew up a little by admitting that.

*Jones pauses, then turns his head to the right and glares, clearly looking at someone offscreen*

Jones: Or maybe a certain overly ambitious psychiatrist has made it so that making confessions is incredibly easy for me.

*Jones glares at Alice for a few more minutes before turning back to the camera*

Jones: OK, here's what you guys need to worry about. I'm going to crack Smith's head open like an egg, make an omelet from his brains, and then force-feed the results to him. And if Phoenix didn't crap himself from seeing such a feat, then I'll easily deal with him. That simple. I am your Savior, and I know what's best for you.

*Jones gets up and walks away as the camera fades to black*

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From the Notes of Dr. Alice Cotten

For the most part, I'm glad Jones is focusing on his career. Ever since I started observing him on a day-to-day basis, I've learned just how obsessive he can be with his goals. One in particular was some "plan" that would "open the eyes of the idiotic masses" or something to that effect. Naturally, he wouldn't tell me what it was, leaving me to doubt that he even has a plan to begin with. Still, it's troubling. This will require further investigation.

 

[The Crock]

The scene opens to a very large stage. A man is standing at the podium. The banner behind him beholds the words “Harvard Law School Commencement Ceremony 2011.” Watching the man are the few hundred graduates, a special group. Their eager eyes dart left and right, as they can hardly contain their excitement. They are about to join a very select group. Very few ever make it to Harvard Law School, much less graduate. From former president Rutherford Birchard Hayes to current president Barack Obama, only the finest make it, including the man of the hour…

…and now welcoming this year’s Keynote Speaker, Sam Smith!

Smith approaches the podium to thunderous applause. Dressed in a brand new designer suit, he smiles as he clears his throat to begin his speech.

Smith: Elite is defined as the choice or best of anything considered collectively, as of a group or class of persons.

Graduates… you are the elite.

The graduates applaud wildly.

Smith: The hallowed halls of Harvard Law School have prepared you for it all. Every single one of you will take every one of life’s twists and turns with the utmost level of preparedness.

Whether you go on to be successful lawyers or maybe even choose a different career path, you will have learned some valuable life lessons.

Smith pauses to look at the crowd for a moment.

Smith: Cherish your memories of this place. Remember each day fondly.

Ahh, I still remember my first day at Harvard Law. I was terrified… but at the same time I was proud. I was even prouder at my graduation. To this day, I take pride in being a Harvard Law Graduate. After all, it’s no common feat being a professional wrestler and a Harvard Law Graduate.

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The scene cuts back to show Smith after the ceremony. He’s making his way to the exit, shaking hands on the way out. Leon Kensworth can be seen emerging from the crowd, chasing after Smith.

Kensworth: Sam! Sam!

Smith turns around and smiles as he spots Kensworth.

Smith: Leon, how are you?

Kensworth: I’m alright Sam, been better. Swamped.

You haven’t forgotten about our interview, have you?

Smith: Of course not, Leon. Let’s walk and talk, I’ve got a birthday party to get to.

Kensworth: Sounds good to me.

Where do you see yourself in the WZCW hierarchy?

Smith: Hmph, I’ve worked to get where I am, for sure. I’m no longer at the bottom of the barrel. A few months back, would anybody have thought I’d be in this match? Not a chance, but now… they don’t question it.

Kensworth: Speaking of that, how do you feel about your match against Phoenix and Chris Jones on Meltdown 56?

Smith: Very excited, Leon. I’m coming into it with a two match win streak, having faced two formidable opponents, Mr. Baller and Justin Cooper. Like I said, I’m quickly making my ascent through WZCW. What’s more, I need to win this match to prepare for my Elite X title shot against Winters at Redemption. It will be the biggest match of my career. The tipping point. If I win that match, who knows, by Kingdom Come of next year... maybe I could be main eventing as the World Champ. The title will propel me to heights I'd never dreamed of. I want it more than anything. I won't let Winters cheat me out of my win. Others may have fallen for his games, but I won't. Winters preaches his lies to the people of WZCW, they don't deserve that and neither does the belt. It's a slap in the face to a person like me, who would actually respect the belt. Winters sees it as his right, but he doesn't know how truly lucky he is to have the belt.

The Elite X division is quickly becoming the premier division in WZCW, and I'm one of our finest. I'll prove that to Winters. Not only that, but this triple threat on Meltdown will give my opponents and I a chance to showcase our abilities and give the fans a show. We are the finest workers in the world, this is just a venue for us to show that and show our passion for wrestling.

Kensworth: Alright. Who’s a bigger threat, Phoenix or Chris Jones?

Smith: Both of them. I can’t focus on just one of them. It’ll take everything I’ve got to get this win, this is my biggest test to date. Both Jones and Phoenix are in the Elite X title hunt, in my eyes, I feel that I have to beat them to prove I deserve my spot.

Kensworth: Okay, last question. Why should the fans pick you to win this match?

Smith: Simply put, Leon, I won’t quit. I’ll put it all on the line in this match. I treat every match as if it’s a championship match, as if it’s my last match! Jones and Phoenix will not be able to overtake me. They will not break my will.

No matter how the odds are stacked against me, I will find away to give up, especially because of my “never say die” spirit.

Did the Boston Red Sox give up when they were down three games to none against the New York Yankees? Hell no they didn’t, they found a way to win.

Did the Buffalo Bills give up against the Houston Oilers down 35-3? You’re damn right they didn’t! They picked their opponent apart relentlessly and came back and won.

I am the Red Sox, I am the Bills. Whether you believe me or not, I will win.

Smith walks away, deep in thought.

Kensworth: He must really want this win, huh?

 

[Thriller Ant]

The scene opens with Phoenix walking by himself up a hillside marked with a few trees and covered with grass. He is following a path only visible due to the grass being slightly pushed down from occasional foot traffic. The camera pans out, and a large, old, stone church becomes visible at the top of the hill. As Phoenix arrives within a few yards of the castle-like church, he begins to speak.

It seems like I can’t catch a break. At Kingdom Come, I fell victim to Michael Winters showing his true colors. Last week, I defeated Brad Bomb in a match that almost certainly was set up to name a new number one contender to the Michael Winters and his Elite X Championship, but it was announced that Sam Smith was cashing in his championship match contract against Winters at Redemption. A lesser man would be frustrated by this.

Phoenix reaches to peak of the hill and walks around to the front of the church. About 20 feet in front of the doors to the church, the hill drops off as a cliff and the ocean crashes against some rocks a couple hundred feet below. He looks over the edge as he continues to speak.

I, however, refuse to succumb to that frustration. Instead, I see it as a challenge. I have to prove that I am the rightful number one contender, regardless of who is in the title match on the pay-per-view. I have to prove that I am better than whomever walks out of Redemption with the title. But first, I have to prove that I can defeat Chris Jones and Sam Smith in a Triple Threat match.

Phoenix sits on the edge of the cliff, letting his feet dangle, as he continues to speak.

Sam Smith is a guy that I respect a lot and that I’m very interested in getting in the ring with. He has the chance to win the Elite X title at Redemption, so it gives me an opportunity to scout him for a future title match if he does win. I wish him luck there, but I must be honest in saying that I hope he is unsuccessful in his title match. It is nothing personal, and it is definitely not because I think negatively about either man’s abilities in the ring. Rather, the only way I can redeem what happened to me at the hands of Michael Winters at Kingdom Come by being the man to take his Elite X Championship from him.

Chris Jones, however, is a different case. He did have an appearance at Kingdom Come, but only to complain about being left off the card. Then last week, he uses a cowardly attack to defeat The Agony. It is a slippery slope you are going down, Chris. The fact is that I wasn’t on the Kingdom Come card originally either. Instead of whining about it, like you did, I was proactive and put myself on the show rather than waiting for someone to do it for me. This anger, as misguided as it may be, still makes Chris that much more dangerous and I definitely need to keep an eye on him at all times.

Phoenix gets up and turns to face the door of the church. He walks up and touches the door before speaking once more.

The match this week, as difficult as it will be, is just a stop on the path between where I am now and my eventual rematch and revenge against Michael Winters. See, Michael believes what he is doing is in the name of his god. Everything he does, good or bad, is attributed to a higher power, a higher power that Winters also expects aid him in everything he does. The fact is, Winters is no different than the millions of people that use religion all over the world.

Phoenix reaches into his pocket and pulls something out to begin picking at the padlock on the church doors.

Those people don’t believe in God to give them hope or because of their desire for faith in their life. No, they say they believe in God to use the idea of a higher power to try and achieve success and justify their less than admirable actions. Winters stomped on the hand of Brad Bomb, potentially causing Bomb to lose months of his career to injury and surgery, and justifies it by saying God put his hand there. He says that he believes that God wanted him to kick me low at Kingdom Come rather than owning up to his own evil actions to keep his title underhandedly.

A loud pop is heard and the padlock springs open. Phoenix removes it from the doors and pulls one open. A loud creaking noise echoes throughout the empty building as Phoenix enters.

This church shows the aftermath of people that use religion like him. The town at the bottom of this hill was filled with families struggling to take care of themselves financially. Those families would trudge up here every Sunday, not because they loved God, but so they could pray that they would be the ones to finally achieve financial stability and wealth. Two of the families worked together to create a business that is now internationally recognized. They had their success, so they stopped going to and supporting this church. The other people in the town either started working for the company or left town to seek employment elsewhere. As the number of people who needed God became lower and lower, so did the attendance at Sunday service. Now, about 25 years later, the town below us is still based around the company and this church sits here, on a Sunday morning, all but forgotten.

Phoenix arrives at the front of the church and stands behind the altar. He looks out, seemingly visualizing the church full of people as it was all those years ago, and speaks as though he is preaching to them.

I am not a religious man. Church is a part of my life that I left behind many years ago. What I can tell all of you, however, God is not something to use as an excuse for stepping on people and doing bad things to achieve success. God is there to give people hope and something to trust in. Using God as you and Michael Winters do may work well for you now, but it will come back to bite you in the long run. Michael, I promise that you will get yours sooner rather than later. And my path to giving you your Redemption begins by defeating Chris Jones and Sam Smith this week. Now there’s a sermon for you.

Phoenix turns to walk out of the church as the scene fades to black.