Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2022 9:19:18 GMT -5
The camera fades in from black to the words “Following Power Surge” as the black background fades in to the press area of UWL’s last event, Power Surge. A table is setup with a microphone in front of the black backdrop covered in the company’s sponsors for the evening. The area has already been well used this evening as others have come to share their words after a momentous evening. The bustle of the crowd is noticeable, however, in that the main event of the show has just ended and the reporters are expecting the World Heavyweight Champion to pass through.
Almost as if on command, Caleb Hart steps into frame, slowly. Still covered in the blood from his brutal affair earlier in the evening with Jackson Burnside, he carefully makes his way to the seat at the table. From off to the side, a UWL aide brings a bottle of water to Caleb as he takes the ever-present UWL World title and places it on the table, accepting the water and the towel accompanying it. Wiping his face, the blood comes off but the gash on his forehead fills that void almost immediately. He takes a long sip of water, his face showing each swallow of water agony inducing. Nodding at the crowd, Caleb puts the bottle down and looks around, a look of sheer exhaustion on his face. He looks up and out at the crowd. He shakes his head, chuckling softly to himself.
Caleb Hart: Look at all of you. You’ve got the microphones out, you’ve got your cameras. You wait on bated breath to see if I am going to say anything newsworthy. Jesus…
Caleb takes a sip of water, swallowing with difficulty. He rubs his neck, the outline of where Jackson tried to strangle him red and beginning to bruise.
Caleb Hart: For 20 years, I’ve told the world that I am the absolute best in the world. But no one wanted to listen. I did it the right way. I kissed babies, I signed every autograph that was ever put in front of me. And despite the fact that I have built a career on winning, the only thing that ANYONE ever wanted to talk about was the person I was facing. I have enough of the disrespect, and that just adds fuel to the fire…
He takes another sip of his water.
Caleb Hart: I beat each and every single one of the best that our industry has to offer and I still don’t get the respect that I deserve. Love me or hate me, I have NEVER turned down a challenge. Love me or hate me, I have always gone into that ring looking for either a match or a fight, purposely fighting the best of the best because whether you like it or not, at my core, the only thing I want in this world is respect for being the one person that has never, and will never, back down from a challenge.
Caleb taps the UWL title on the table.
Caleb Hart: When Caleb Hart holds the top belt for your company, all you and anyone does is benefit. Now, there may be some bodies on the side of the road along the way, but that’s what happens. Tonight, Jackson Burnside did everything in his power to try and stop me. He beat me within an inch of my life, made me bleed, almost choked me out. Jackson Burnside is a real man and a real contender in a sea of clowns and fools. But when that bell ring, it wasn’t Jackson Burnside that walked out as the UWL World Champion, it was me. That man beat me mercilessly, but never could put me away.
He points out to the flock of reporters.
Caleb Hart: I read it all…every single one of you and your “Now, it’s Jackson Burnside’s Time” headlines and opinion pieces…well you know what they say about opinions…
He chuckles.
Caleb Hart: You all wanted Jackson to win so bad that you forgot that standing in his way is the closest thing to perfection that anyone in our business has ever come close to. As Jackson dragged me around the ring, I could feel hope coursing through every single one of you. I could feel the unadulterated joy that you all were clinging to at the idea that Jackson could be the one to do it…and when I touched that last turnbuckle I reveled in the energy in the arena dropping because yet again, your best and brightest hope falls short. Jackson Burnside will be back with a vengeance, and just like before, he’s going to come up short against me.
Caleb gestures to the backstage area.
Caleb Hart: So the real question is…who’s next? Who is the next one that thinks they have what it takes to step up to me. Look up and down that roster and tell me who you think is next.
Caleb shakes his hand.
Caleb Hart: On second thought, don’t. I don’t give a damn what you think. I don’t care who wants to step up. I want them all. I want each and every one of them. I will fight anyone and everyone until I’m the only one left standing. I am the pinnacle of excellence in this industry. You think you have what it takes? Step up. I promise you that reality is even better than the stories you’ve heard or the videos you’ve seen. For twenty years, I’ve proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that when that bell rings, I am everything I’ve ever said I was and then some.
Caleb stands up, grabbing the UWL title.
Caleb Hart: I don’t care who’s next. All of them will fall, and there isn’t a damn thing they or any of you can do about it.
Caleb gingerly steps out from behind the table, his years and tonight’s match clearly wearing on him as he walks away with the camera fading to black.
Almost as if on command, Caleb Hart steps into frame, slowly. Still covered in the blood from his brutal affair earlier in the evening with Jackson Burnside, he carefully makes his way to the seat at the table. From off to the side, a UWL aide brings a bottle of water to Caleb as he takes the ever-present UWL World title and places it on the table, accepting the water and the towel accompanying it. Wiping his face, the blood comes off but the gash on his forehead fills that void almost immediately. He takes a long sip of water, his face showing each swallow of water agony inducing. Nodding at the crowd, Caleb puts the bottle down and looks around, a look of sheer exhaustion on his face. He looks up and out at the crowd. He shakes his head, chuckling softly to himself.
Caleb Hart: Look at all of you. You’ve got the microphones out, you’ve got your cameras. You wait on bated breath to see if I am going to say anything newsworthy. Jesus…
Caleb takes a sip of water, swallowing with difficulty. He rubs his neck, the outline of where Jackson tried to strangle him red and beginning to bruise.
Caleb Hart: For 20 years, I’ve told the world that I am the absolute best in the world. But no one wanted to listen. I did it the right way. I kissed babies, I signed every autograph that was ever put in front of me. And despite the fact that I have built a career on winning, the only thing that ANYONE ever wanted to talk about was the person I was facing. I have enough of the disrespect, and that just adds fuel to the fire…
He takes another sip of his water.
Caleb Hart: I beat each and every single one of the best that our industry has to offer and I still don’t get the respect that I deserve. Love me or hate me, I have NEVER turned down a challenge. Love me or hate me, I have always gone into that ring looking for either a match or a fight, purposely fighting the best of the best because whether you like it or not, at my core, the only thing I want in this world is respect for being the one person that has never, and will never, back down from a challenge.
Caleb taps the UWL title on the table.
Caleb Hart: When Caleb Hart holds the top belt for your company, all you and anyone does is benefit. Now, there may be some bodies on the side of the road along the way, but that’s what happens. Tonight, Jackson Burnside did everything in his power to try and stop me. He beat me within an inch of my life, made me bleed, almost choked me out. Jackson Burnside is a real man and a real contender in a sea of clowns and fools. But when that bell ring, it wasn’t Jackson Burnside that walked out as the UWL World Champion, it was me. That man beat me mercilessly, but never could put me away.
He points out to the flock of reporters.
Caleb Hart: I read it all…every single one of you and your “Now, it’s Jackson Burnside’s Time” headlines and opinion pieces…well you know what they say about opinions…
He chuckles.
Caleb Hart: You all wanted Jackson to win so bad that you forgot that standing in his way is the closest thing to perfection that anyone in our business has ever come close to. As Jackson dragged me around the ring, I could feel hope coursing through every single one of you. I could feel the unadulterated joy that you all were clinging to at the idea that Jackson could be the one to do it…and when I touched that last turnbuckle I reveled in the energy in the arena dropping because yet again, your best and brightest hope falls short. Jackson Burnside will be back with a vengeance, and just like before, he’s going to come up short against me.
Caleb gestures to the backstage area.
Caleb Hart: So the real question is…who’s next? Who is the next one that thinks they have what it takes to step up to me. Look up and down that roster and tell me who you think is next.
Caleb shakes his hand.
Caleb Hart: On second thought, don’t. I don’t give a damn what you think. I don’t care who wants to step up. I want them all. I want each and every one of them. I will fight anyone and everyone until I’m the only one left standing. I am the pinnacle of excellence in this industry. You think you have what it takes? Step up. I promise you that reality is even better than the stories you’ve heard or the videos you’ve seen. For twenty years, I’ve proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that when that bell rings, I am everything I’ve ever said I was and then some.
Caleb stands up, grabbing the UWL title.
Caleb Hart: I don’t care who’s next. All of them will fall, and there isn’t a damn thing they or any of you can do about it.
Caleb gingerly steps out from behind the table, his years and tonight’s match clearly wearing on him as he walks away with the camera fading to black.