Post by Jackson Burnside on Sept 27, 2023 15:01:35 GMT -5
The scene opens up slowly and silently with nothing but the sound of rainfall. There is nothing to see, only black. Jackson Burnside's voiceover is heard.
Jackson Burnside (voiceover):
"My entire life was covered by a black cloud and I was always told I'd never amount to anything."
It's nighttime and Jackson is walking down a sidewalk on a city street (ostensibly Chicago). It isn't raining. He walks toward the camera. It's clear that this isn't the character. There's no Weatherman present in the video, only Jackson Burnside. He doesn't have his title belts, and he is dressed how we're used to seeing him. Jeans, boots, a black leather duster over an old hoodie, the hood of which is pulled over his head. Jackson now speaks directly and not in voiceover. As he walks and talks the video is edited. Occasionally showing a different angle or a different street, sometimes cutting away from Jackson momentarily to show a bus stop or a sign outside a business.
Jackson Burnside:
"Growin' up I was just a boy without anything. No real friends, no prospects, no parents."
He stops a few steps from a street corner and looks down at the pavement. Is the implication this is the spot where he lost his parents, or is he just trying to evoke the imagery?
Jackson Burnside:
"These are the streets I called home. Those nights I'd go AWOL from the boys' home and get into trouble.[/i]
A cut to a group of young boys, out late and clearly up to no good flashes on the screen.
Jackson Burnside:
"When you're like that people just look though you. You're like a ghost. But once in awhile they see, but they don't see you. They only see a punk, an urchin, a street rat."
Archival footage from UWL cuts into the video. Big Arch Stanton, the UWL Untied State Championship over his shoulder, is speaking.
Arch Stanton:
"Street rat!"
This is followed by archival footage of Burnside making his way down to a UWL ring; commentary plays over it.
Logan Acker (voiceover):
"Jackson Burnside is noting but a street rat!"
Jackson Burnside:
"I decided I didn't like being invisible anymore. I didn't like knowing that my life was one a one-way track to a 6-by-6 jail cell. So I got big, I got strong, and brother I learned how to FIGHT! I crawled outta these streets, and I made a damn good livin' by taking out all my pent up rage on people. And over time that changed, I became the kinda guy who stands up for the little guy. A man who doesn't run from fights, and who welcomes 'em! Little Jackie B from the east side turned into a Superbeast. I beat everyone and I climbed to the top of the UWL mountain!"
While Burnside finishes up that sentence more archival footage plays. A bloodied Burnside victorious over Arch Stanton after a San Quentin Chain Match. Burnside with James Edwards in the Torture Rack and then seconds later celebrating with the World Championship.
Jackson Burnside:
"When I was pushed from the precipice by the man-you-don't-beat, by CALEB HART!, it was a long fall. It broke me. I found myself on these streets again, wondering what was in store for me next. Then one night, on a night just like this, I had an epiphany. See I was strong, I was durable. If I could survive the loss of my parents and the childhood that followed, why couldn't I survive this? I was capable of weathering any storm, of surviving whatever the world wanted to throw at me. There was nothing, no amount of adversity that could hold me back. So I became a Weatherman!
Archival footage from Burnside's first entrance as the Weatherman briefly plays.
Jackson Burnside:
"And I beat everybody that stepped to me!"
First there's a clip of Burnside winning his first match as The Weatherman by putting away Jeremy Riggs with the Magnitude-7. This is followed by a rapid succession of matches. Each one shows Burnside putting somebody different away, each time with the Torture Rack. It happens again, and again, and again.
Jackson Burnside (voiceover):
"And what comes after that?"
Burnside puts away Leonardo with the Mag-7 to become Heritage Champion. This footage is immediately followed by him doing the very same to Cory Chavelle.
Jackson Burnside:
"Now I'm here. Back home, a street rat returned to the Windy City. I have the chance here, of all places, to make it come full circle. To climb to the top of the mountain and sit at its peak having accomplished what no one else has. UWL Heritage, Television, and World Heavyweight Champion. There's no way to mince it either. At Parade of Champions I've got the biggest challenge of my career. A Silverback who wants to maul me like he's done before. A loose-cannon who revels in the pain of his opponents and himself. A World Champion who appears at the surface to be untouchable and unbeatable.
Now we're at a close-up of Jackson's face, illuminated by a street light overheard. He smiles.
Jackson Burnside:
"But brother, if you weren't paying attention: I thrive under adversity, and I always weather the storm. Anyone who thinks they can stop The Weatherman from achieving his destiny is gonna have that notion beaten out of 'em. I will be World Champion again. Cut, print, check the gate."
The street lamp blows out and we're left with Burnside's dark silhouette and the sound of rainfall.
Jackson Burnside (voiceover):
"My entire life was covered by a black cloud and I was always told I'd never amount to anything."
It's nighttime and Jackson is walking down a sidewalk on a city street (ostensibly Chicago). It isn't raining. He walks toward the camera. It's clear that this isn't the character. There's no Weatherman present in the video, only Jackson Burnside. He doesn't have his title belts, and he is dressed how we're used to seeing him. Jeans, boots, a black leather duster over an old hoodie, the hood of which is pulled over his head. Jackson now speaks directly and not in voiceover. As he walks and talks the video is edited. Occasionally showing a different angle or a different street, sometimes cutting away from Jackson momentarily to show a bus stop or a sign outside a business.
Jackson Burnside:
"Growin' up I was just a boy without anything. No real friends, no prospects, no parents."
He stops a few steps from a street corner and looks down at the pavement. Is the implication this is the spot where he lost his parents, or is he just trying to evoke the imagery?
Jackson Burnside:
"These are the streets I called home. Those nights I'd go AWOL from the boys' home and get into trouble.[/i]
A cut to a group of young boys, out late and clearly up to no good flashes on the screen.
Jackson Burnside:
"When you're like that people just look though you. You're like a ghost. But once in awhile they see, but they don't see you. They only see a punk, an urchin, a street rat."
Archival footage from UWL cuts into the video. Big Arch Stanton, the UWL Untied State Championship over his shoulder, is speaking.
Arch Stanton:
"Street rat!"
This is followed by archival footage of Burnside making his way down to a UWL ring; commentary plays over it.
Logan Acker (voiceover):
"Jackson Burnside is noting but a street rat!"
Jackson Burnside:
"I decided I didn't like being invisible anymore. I didn't like knowing that my life was one a one-way track to a 6-by-6 jail cell. So I got big, I got strong, and brother I learned how to FIGHT! I crawled outta these streets, and I made a damn good livin' by taking out all my pent up rage on people. And over time that changed, I became the kinda guy who stands up for the little guy. A man who doesn't run from fights, and who welcomes 'em! Little Jackie B from the east side turned into a Superbeast. I beat everyone and I climbed to the top of the UWL mountain!"
While Burnside finishes up that sentence more archival footage plays. A bloodied Burnside victorious over Arch Stanton after a San Quentin Chain Match. Burnside with James Edwards in the Torture Rack and then seconds later celebrating with the World Championship.
Jackson Burnside:
"When I was pushed from the precipice by the man-you-don't-beat, by CALEB HART!, it was a long fall. It broke me. I found myself on these streets again, wondering what was in store for me next. Then one night, on a night just like this, I had an epiphany. See I was strong, I was durable. If I could survive the loss of my parents and the childhood that followed, why couldn't I survive this? I was capable of weathering any storm, of surviving whatever the world wanted to throw at me. There was nothing, no amount of adversity that could hold me back. So I became a Weatherman!
Archival footage from Burnside's first entrance as the Weatherman briefly plays.
Jackson Burnside:
"And I beat everybody that stepped to me!"
First there's a clip of Burnside winning his first match as The Weatherman by putting away Jeremy Riggs with the Magnitude-7. This is followed by a rapid succession of matches. Each one shows Burnside putting somebody different away, each time with the Torture Rack. It happens again, and again, and again.
Jackson Burnside (voiceover):
"And what comes after that?"
Burnside puts away Leonardo with the Mag-7 to become Heritage Champion. This footage is immediately followed by him doing the very same to Cory Chavelle.
Jackson Burnside:
"Now I'm here. Back home, a street rat returned to the Windy City. I have the chance here, of all places, to make it come full circle. To climb to the top of the mountain and sit at its peak having accomplished what no one else has. UWL Heritage, Television, and World Heavyweight Champion. There's no way to mince it either. At Parade of Champions I've got the biggest challenge of my career. A Silverback who wants to maul me like he's done before. A loose-cannon who revels in the pain of his opponents and himself. A World Champion who appears at the surface to be untouchable and unbeatable.
Now we're at a close-up of Jackson's face, illuminated by a street light overheard. He smiles.
Jackson Burnside:
"But brother, if you weren't paying attention: I thrive under adversity, and I always weather the storm. Anyone who thinks they can stop The Weatherman from achieving his destiny is gonna have that notion beaten out of 'em. I will be World Champion again. Cut, print, check the gate."
The street lamp blows out and we're left with Burnside's dark silhouette and the sound of rainfall.
