MD75: Constantine vs. Austin Reynolds

[Ty Burna]

An old rivalry from last year's Kingdom Come will have its fire re-ignited as KFAD winner Constantine will be set to take on former Tag Team champion Austin Reynolds in singles competition. John will not only have to wrestle his rival but will also have to keep an eye on his former friend Steven Holmes, whilst Reynolds will have Ricky Runn in the back of his mind. Which man will be able to put their problems aside to be able to take the victory?

Deadline is Tuesday, June 26th at 11:59 PM Central Time.​

 

[a0161613]

We see Dom and Ricky sharing a coffee at Austin’s gym in Chicago. Reynolds himself is noticeable for his absence. His mutual friends seem to get on well regardless of this as they share a jug of coffee.

Ricky: “I hope he’s OK.”

Dom: “Me too mate. He is going to be pissed. You can guarantee that.”

Ricky: “I didn’t mean to cost him the match.”

Ricky is rueful, his tone despondent.

Dom: “I should bloody hope not. Do you think he will return the favour?”

Ricky: “So long as it’s Holmes getting pinned, I could take it.”

Dom: “Getting the TKO from Howard is one thing but I’m not sure you could survive a piledriver from Holmes.”

Ricky: “Sure I could, I’m bouncy.”

Dom looks up with a raised eyebrow.

Dom: “Dude, don’t say that. Ever again. Or I’ll put you in a wheelchair myself.”

Dom begins to crack a smile, before looking down with a forlorn expression. Ricky breaks the silence Dom had created.

Ricky: “Where is Austin anyway? He should be here by now.”

Dom: “This was supposed to be his first day back. The docs told him to relax and I think he’s listening to them. But losing the tag titles has done a number on him.”

Ricky: “I’ve noticed. He has barely returned my calls in the last few weeks. That’s why I came here. We spent so much time together; I’ve grown to miss the guy.”

Dom: “I wish I could say the same mate but he has become reclusive. I’ve barely seen him either. He just seems to skulk around.”

Ricky and Dom look up as a heavy shadow approaches the front door. Austin walks in and seems surprised to see both Ricky and Dom there. No-one utters a word and the tension becomes thick amongst the three men until Austin moves to break the silence. He steps forward towards Ricky, the youngster steps up, meeting his friend eye to eye.

Austin: “Rick, what happened at Ascension was unfortunate and I regret what happened at Meltdown. So here and now, I’m sorry. I guess with everything that has gone on, I didn’t factor in what losing the belts may do to us. I never really thought it would happen.”

Ricky: “I know but-!”

Austin raises a hand to firmly interrupt his eager friend, before lowering it onto the youngsters shoulder.

Austin: “Ricky, mate, let me finish.”

Austin exhales as if to clear his mind.

Austin: “I was so certain that we would retain at Kingdom Come, I never considered that Strikeforce would take the belts. So my reaction to you and Mikey, seeing that you had reacted so well to the defeat, it surprised me and I couldn’t take it in.”

He scratches his head and pauses.

Austin: “And I still can’t accept it.”

Ricky: “What!”

Ricky’s loud and angry reaction is backed up by Dom but the agent can only stare at his friend with absolute shock. Austin continues to speak with a calm and firm tone.

Austin: “I hate that you went to freaking Disneyland!”

Ricky: “It was the Islands of Adventure!”

Ricky defiantly calls Austin out but the correction only serves to infuriate Austin further. His eyes widen and bulge and he now shouts.

Austin: “Are you stupid? I mean are you freaking dumb? Why do you not understand what I am trying to say? You wanted to learn how to be the best? You wanted to work with me as much as I wanted to work with you, right? Well I dragged you to the tag team titles buddy so I’ll give you a free bit of advice; don’t go to a freaking theme park with one of the guys who just beat you!”

Ricky stands off a little. By nature, he doesn’t want to seek any further conflict with Austin but his reaction is so divisive that Ricky is compelled to fire back with a similar incendiary tone.

Ricky: “I’ve had enough of this. Austin you need to chill the hell out!!!”

Austin: “Forget it, I’m out of here.”

Dom: “Austin!”

Dom takes a quick step closer to the door but Austin glares at him.

Austin: “Dom, stay out of this okay?”

Ricky: “It’s fine Dom.”

Dom’s attempt to step in doesn’t seem to go well as neither Ricky nor Austin seem happy with the interruption but at least Ricky has a semblance of diplomacy in the heat of the moment. Dominic doesn’t accept this however.

Dom: “No it’s not okay Rick. You’ve been great for him. The Ratings Winner would have been dead if it hadn’t been for your work with him and now he can’t appreciate it?”

And with that Austin walks out, unable to take any more but Dom steps forward to block him off.

Dom: “So what are going to do Austin? Are you going to walk away or are you going to stay and make your point. Sure, Howard beat you and Constantine this week isn’t the kind of guy that you want to face unless you are at the top of your game.”

Ricky: “You are not at the top of your game Austin. I’ve idolized you. I’ve seen how good you are close up and this isn’t you. You go to Meltdown this week and you won’t see a repeat of Kingdom Come 3 because you aren’t the man he faced then. Constantine will not think twice about punishing your neck.”

This makes Austin seethe further. He shakes his head and his brow furrows with an angry glare.

Austin: “John Constantine Is the reason I’m like this! All the shit he pulled on me!”

Dom: “You? Austin, you cheeky fecker! I was the one who got put into the hospital thanks to him. I was the one whose life nearly got ruined because I got involved in your mess! You benefitted from it! You got the World Title shots! All I got was weeks in hospital and months of physiotherapy!”

Austin’s anger is matched by Dom’s incredulous reaction.

Austin: “Everything he did to you, I paid back tenfold. I got revenge on him at Kingdom Come. I tore him apart. But all that got me was a busted neck! I destroyed myself to get revenge for you.”

Ricky: “Austin, Constantine is King for a Day; he is on the run of a lifetime and is practically guaranteed a World Championship. He’s been unbeatable recently and has been using that fan support really well.”

Austin: “What does that prove? That the fans are sheep? That they have the memory of goldfish? Maybe that’s it, maybe I should have realised this sooner. Just because Constantine helped Dave and rejected Holmes on the biggest stage possible, it doesn’t make right what he did before that. The support of the public means nothing because he has done so much wrong in the past. If they can’t remember that, then that’s not my fault.”

Ricky shakes his head as Austin is revelling in arrogance.

Ricky: “You would throw away your support and lose all of your fans because of this? It’s stupid Austin.”

Austin: “If the fans don’t understand why I am pissed off at you then so be it. I took the heat and stood by you when you ballsed up against Stan-Time because you were sorry, you worked your ass off and until the other week, we were the best team in the company. But when you react to defeat by going to a theme park, it’s not me that has changed Ricky, it’s you.”

Ricky bites his lip as he considers what to do next. He turns away from Austin, grabs his jacket and leaves without saying a word. Austin follows and slams the door behind him.

Austin: “You’re still the immature baby that joined the company and bitched his way into a match against the tag team champions. I had your back then and I had your back the whole time we were tag team champions. I rescued you time after time, the tables match, the match at Kingdom Come. If you had stayed focussed, we would still be champions.”

The allocation of blame successfully taunts Ricky enough to bring him back to face up to Austin once more.

Ricky: “That’s great Austin, pretend it’s me facing you instead of Constantine and I’m sure you’ll win.”

Austin smirks indifferently and turns away with a degree of arrogance.

Austin: “Don’t be sarcastic Ricky. If you want a match with me, just say it.”

Ricky: “I don’t even think you are going to be fit to face anyone once Constantine is done with you.”

Austin leaps forward quickly, getting in Ricky’s face and grips the scruff of his jacket. He lowers himself to look him in the eye. They both breathe heavily and then Austin speaks in a quiet but very firm tone.

Austin: “I don’t care what John Constantine can do to me now. It won’t be any worse than what he has done before. But all the little monkeys who cheer him need to know that John Constantine is a fraud. I’m taking what’s left of this battered shell of a body and I’m going to tell Constantine to his face that he is a pretender. I’m going to expose him as a lie. The King for a Day is a deceitful, untrustworthy snake who has managed to eat his way into the heart of WZCW and his head needs to come off before his poison spreads further.”

Austin shoves Ricky away and the youngster stumbles in shock at the behaviour of his mentor. Austin readjusts his jacket and walks away without looking back.

 

[Dave]

Interviewer: So you're saying that you don't know what it takes to beat Austin Reynolds?

Constantine: That's precisely what I'm saying.

We join Constantine mid-way through a tell-all interview with an unnamed interviewer. The interviewer sits with his glass perched upon the bridge of his nose, looking down at the question cars he holds in his hands. The gleaming setting of this interview is bright and bold. The studio audience sit aiming their eyes at The Power Trip and his esteemed questioner. Between the two men, a blank TV sits. The harsh lighting from above forms a solitary bead of sweat on Constantine's head... At least that is what he would have you believe anyway.

Interviewer: Forgive me, John. But how can you say that you are confident going into a match when you haven't got the slightest idea about how to best an opponent.

Constantine allows a small smile to appear on his face.

Constantine: To be honest, I don't know. But all I do know is that people like Austin Reynolds, people who seem to be hinging on the side of sanity at this point, generally tend to beat themselves when it comes right down to it.

Interviewer: It is coincidental that you should mention Austin Reynolds' state of mind, Trip. Last week on Meltdown we seen Austin Reynolds verbally “talk-down” his partner and former Tag Team Champion, Ricky Runn. This was followed up on Ascension as Reynolds cost himself a match against James Howard when Ricky got involved. Now, given that Austin Reynolds seems to be challenging his friend and ally, how much similarity do you see between the two of you?

Constantine: You're right. When you look at Austin Reynolds and I comparatively and you begin to stack up the odds for the upcoming match between us, you really have to think that we are both living similar lives at the moment. Both of us seem to have “friends” in the business that want to see us fail. Whether Austin believes it or not, I do tend to think that Ricky Runn was trying to help him. But Reynolds is fuming right now. He lost the Tag Team Championships to Strikeforce not too long ago and it seems as though his partner doesn't realise the importance of this.

The interviewer cuts in with another question, his eyes glowing as he launches it in the direction of Constantine.

Interviewer: So you think that Austin Reynolds is perfectly justified in his criticism of Ricky Runn?

Constantine screws up his face, weighing up his answer delicately.

Constantine: Listen, I don't care what anyone says, if you're not in this business to hold one of those belts, then I really don't know why you are. Ricky Runn is just as culpable for losing the Tag Team Championships as Austin Reynolds. When you're in a Tag Team, you have to rely on each other, You have to know that the person you're tagging with has the same goals and ideals as you. It just seems that the personalities of Austin and Ricky have clashed since they lost the belts.

The man sitting across from Constantine looks puzzled now.

Interviewer: How do you mean?

Constantine: Well, Ricky has taken his lumps. He seems to be taking the loss really well, thinking only about how he can move on from the loss and continue to grow as an athlete. Reynolds, on the other hand, seems to have taken the loss personally. He thinks that he is free from blame for his loss to Strikeforce and that's not what a Tag Team is. Personally, I think this is the end for Runn Reynolds Runn.

Constantine stops for a moment, letting thoughts of past and present roll through his thoughts. After a moment, he gives a slight shrug and continues.

Constantine: But getting back to your original point, I guess you could say that Austin and I are similar. Whilst he slugs it out with Ricky Runn, I have a much more devious and dangerous man to worry about.

Interviewer: Ah yes, Steven Holmes. For those of you who missed Ascension last week, let's take you back. The King For A Day, John Constantine, had just picked up a win against The Masked Gentlemen. Steven Holmes, the man who appeared on Meltdown in a wheelchair, claiming his career had been ended by Constantine, appeared and this is what transpired.

The TV in between Constantine and the interviewer flicks on and shows a small part of Ascension 49.

As Linkin Park plays through the arena, Constantine poses, but then he notices out of the corner of his eye, Steven Holmes appears at the top of the ramp. Wheeling himself, much as he did at the start of the show, Holmes sits, observing. Constantine exits the ring and goes to confront Holmes.

Holmes however does not seem afraid and sits, prepared for his old ally. Constantine has neglected to not only celebrate his win, but also pick up his briefcase. He stands over Holmes and tries to talk to the former Elite Champion, but Holmes stares right at him, resentful and bitter. Constantine lowers himself to Holmes level and attempts to talk to him, but suddenly, a swift fist connects solidly with Constantine’s face. Holmes is using his “weak” right arm! It has brass knuckles around his hand.

Then, without a moment’s hesitation, Holmes rises to his feet as the crowd collectively gasps before pouring boo upon boo onto him. Holmes then rips his neck brace off and grins manically. He quickly switches back to his glum look as he spits on Constantine, kicks his wheelchair and struts off of the stage defiantly.

The camera turns back towards Constantine now who is gritting his teeth as a look of sheer contempt begins to cross his features.

Interviewer: I can see that what we just seen has angered you, Trip. But, if you can, please talk me through what happened on Ascension 49.

Constantine sits for a moment, still paralysed by anger and staring at the TV screen. When his words finally appear, they are quiet and measured.

Constantine: I knew that Steven Holmes was insane. I have known that fact for some time now. Even since our attack on Big Dave, I have known that something has been wrong with Steven Holmes mentally. Week after week, his intentions became more and more devious. His actions became more and more desperate, and his mind became more and more lost.

Constantine turns towards the interviewer now, breaking his gaze of the blank TV screen for the first time.

Constantine: But this... This was just something else.

Interviewer: For a man to blame someone for the loss of their livelihood is one thing. But it is another entirely for that entire escapade to be a hoax. Tell me what you are feeling right now, Trip.

Constantine: How I'm feeling? Numb. I can't tell you what was going through my mind when Steven Homes claimed his career was over. For the first time in my career, I felt guilty for something. Perhaps I thought it was for the best and that Holmes could use that time away to get some help for his issues. But deep in the back of my mind, I felt sorry for him. I felt responsible for taking away his career and the pain of that almost crippled me. But to throw all of that in my face, to spit on me as I lay on the ground... It's unforgivable.

Interviewer: Do you think that he will try and make his presence felt at Meltdown 75?

Constantine shuffles in his seat, the words are not easy to find any more.

Constantine: I hope not. For all of Holmes' bravado and words, he's just a man. He states that I was a war-machine built for one purpose and he's right. As far as I am concerned, Steven Holmes gained his measure of retribution for my actions as Kingdom Come. Any insistence of his to get involved in my match will be viewed as an act of war. And then, Steven Holmes will face the war-machine that he felt the need to provoke. The next time I set foot in a wrestling ring with Steven Holmes, his career will be over.

The interviewer gives a wide smile to the audience, stunned by the diatribe and conclusions of The Power Trip. He ruffles his cards for the next question and presses on.

Interviewer: Going back to my earlier question, Trip. Austin Reynolds has shown some of the callous traits of Steven Holmes recently, even going so far as to blame someone else for his failures. How similar do you think Reynolds and Holmes are?

Constantine: It was only a year ago that Austin Reynolds and I stood in the ring, face to face, at Kingdom Come 3. On that occasion, Reynolds was too strong for me. He was going into the match on a high. He was the golden boy of the company and a man who, many felt, the future would be kind to. He called himself the Ratings Winner and no one could really argue that point. But now we see the shoe on the other foot. Austin Reynolds is no longer the confident man he used to be. He is no longer the man that fans will flock to see. With a string of losses on his record, he steps into the ring against a man who is ranked number 1 on the Fantabulous 15 list. A man who fears no one and holds the King For A Day briefcase to his chest. The last time Austin and I met in a ring, he got the better of me and it was because my mind was not where it needed to be.

Constantine, finally, allows a welcoming smile to cross his face again.

Constantine: But now, we step into the ring as opposites. It is Austin Reynolds who will be stepping into the ring against the man that everyone wants to see. It is he who will feel the pressure of facing a man who the future is full of potential for. It is Austin Reynolds who will feel the burning pressure upon his shoulders and the cruelty of defeat. Holmes and Reynolds are different people but this is much is eternally true. If they feel the need to get in my face, then they will see exactly why I will be the next WZCW Heavyweight Champion.

Interviewer: Bold words form John Constantine, ladies and gentlemen. Tune in to Meltdown this Saturday as it celebrates it's 75th show as Austin Reynolds goes one-on-one with John Constantine. For now, thank you John.

The interviewer reaches over to Constantine and shakes his hand as the show fades to black.​