AGGRESSION 55: "Triple X" Sean Stevens vs. Karl "The Dragon" Brown (c)
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Re: AGGRESSION 55: "Triple X" Sean Stevens vs. Karl "The Dragon" Brown (c)
[FADE IN. A simple room. There are two bookcases on the far wall, one filled with fiction and the other non-fiction. Sitting in a small, tan leather recliner is the TV champion, dressed casually in jeans and T-shirt]
Karl: Churchill once said that he liked to learn, but he didn’t always like being taught. That’s kind of how I felt for a moment in the ring against Donovan Astros at Aggression. You see, I was forced to learn something there that for a moment startled me. I’d thought I knew every counter to the Dragon’s Bite but it turns out there was at least one I’d missed. Donovan caught me totally by surprise and pinned me. So, congratulations are in order. Congratulations on beating me, Donovan, and thanks for showing me that counter.
Why should I thank someone for beating me? Because now I know how he did it, I can work on countering that counter. It’s the thing, above all else, that separates the top tier from everyone else. You don’t always have to agree with them but their ability to learn from their past mistakes, and put them right, is the biggest advantage they have.
And speaking of people I haven’t always agreed with but are nonetheless at the top of their game, how’s it going, Sean? I haven’t had a chance to say hello since I got back. And now it looks like we’re in a similar situation to all those years ago.
For fans who’ve forgotten, and possibly for Sean since he’s had so many great matches since then, we were both involved in a six way elimination match for the World Title. Sean went into it having won a battle royale as I remember, and I was the Intercontinental Champion. Lindsay won the match, but Sean gave such an account of himself he became the one to watch, and a few months later… well, I don’t need to remind you what he went and did.
But the thing is, Sean, we’ve never actually met one on one. Only that one time, in a six person elimination match, where you… I think it was a superkick you used to eliminate me. I don’t remember it exactly, there’s been a lot since then. But one thing I do remember, whilst you were World Champion, is a lot of people who stopped me in airports and asked when you and I would meet one on one. The fans wanted to see it. The internet wrestling community wanted to see it. I heard rumours that people were role playing what would happen if we met in the ring.
Looks like it’s finally going to happen, because Sean Stevens also wanted to see what would happen. I’m not going to ask the reasons, because knowing Sean he’ll tell us in his own time. But I must admit I was surprised when I was called up and asked if I wanted to face him. Fresh off a loss to Donovan, and I have a chance to face the former World Champion – and man who’s arguably one of the best in the history of the company. Not a chance you turn down. Just look at all he’s accomplished, and you’ll find something that ensures that someone like me will never turn down a chance to wrestle him.
I guess this is the part of the show where I start to talk down Stevens’ chances against me. But honestly, that’s not easy to do. He’s proven that he is half as good as he thinks he is, so I can’t use that mode of attack. He held the world title for a combined eight hundred and thirteen days – eight hundred and thirteen days. That’s one day less than Lindsay held the belt. Six hundred of those days were consecutive, which I know only too well is no mean feat. If I’m totally honest, one hundred per cent honest – Sean will be one of two things. Either the longest or the shortest match of my career.
Look at it this way – Sean may no longer be wearing the World Heavyweight Title, but he’s going to be out to prove what he knows. That without the belt he’s still the best. He can say it all he wants but until he does it, well… only he knows it. Meanwhile, I’m coming off some less than stellar results, but I’m going up against the kind of opponent who throughout my career has made me raise my game. The kind where people don’t really think I can pull it off. In a situation like this, where one mistake is likely to be hard to come by and will end the match, we’re both going to be trying to force the other into a mistake. It’s like those old martial arts films where the two grand masters stand there, waiting, knowing that the one who makes any sort of mistake is the one getting knocked out.
And that all sounded better in my head.
I honestly can’t say how this match is going to go. It’s the kind of situation where you can’t start to guess what will happen. Sean’s been at this long enough that he’ll be ready for almost anything, and will change things up. It’s the same thing I’d do – make sure your opponent can’t plan ahead, can’t guess what you’re going to do, and has to waste energy trying to reorganise his thoughts.
The only thing I can guess at is, even though the King of the Cage tournament final is taking place on the same card, this match is the one to watch. Sean, you’ve been ‘selected’ as the guy to save Empire Pro – from what, I don’t know, maybe you can fill us in. But if you can’t beat me, you won’t be saving Empire Pro, and you won’t be getting a crack at First any time soon. You know I’ll be coming at you with everything I have. You’ll be the one to make me raise my game higher than I’ve been forced to in a long, long while.
Thank you for putting out the challenge, Sean. I’m looking forward to facing you – eight hundred and thirteen days as world champion… I’ll have to ask Lindsay how it feels to hold a belt that long in one go.
[FADE OUT]
[FADE IN. A simple room. There are two bookcases on the far wall, one filled with fiction and the other non-fiction. Sitting in a small, tan leather recliner is the TV champion, dressed casually in jeans and T-shirt]
Karl: Churchill once said that he liked to learn, but he didn’t always like being taught. That’s kind of how I felt for a moment in the ring against Donovan Astros at Aggression. You see, I was forced to learn something there that for a moment startled me. I’d thought I knew every counter to the Dragon’s Bite but it turns out there was at least one I’d missed. Donovan caught me totally by surprise and pinned me. So, congratulations are in order. Congratulations on beating me, Donovan, and thanks for showing me that counter.
Why should I thank someone for beating me? Because now I know how he did it, I can work on countering that counter. It’s the thing, above all else, that separates the top tier from everyone else. You don’t always have to agree with them but their ability to learn from their past mistakes, and put them right, is the biggest advantage they have.
And speaking of people I haven’t always agreed with but are nonetheless at the top of their game, how’s it going, Sean? I haven’t had a chance to say hello since I got back. And now it looks like we’re in a similar situation to all those years ago.
For fans who’ve forgotten, and possibly for Sean since he’s had so many great matches since then, we were both involved in a six way elimination match for the World Title. Sean went into it having won a battle royale as I remember, and I was the Intercontinental Champion. Lindsay won the match, but Sean gave such an account of himself he became the one to watch, and a few months later… well, I don’t need to remind you what he went and did.
But the thing is, Sean, we’ve never actually met one on one. Only that one time, in a six person elimination match, where you… I think it was a superkick you used to eliminate me. I don’t remember it exactly, there’s been a lot since then. But one thing I do remember, whilst you were World Champion, is a lot of people who stopped me in airports and asked when you and I would meet one on one. The fans wanted to see it. The internet wrestling community wanted to see it. I heard rumours that people were role playing what would happen if we met in the ring.
Looks like it’s finally going to happen, because Sean Stevens also wanted to see what would happen. I’m not going to ask the reasons, because knowing Sean he’ll tell us in his own time. But I must admit I was surprised when I was called up and asked if I wanted to face him. Fresh off a loss to Donovan, and I have a chance to face the former World Champion – and man who’s arguably one of the best in the history of the company. Not a chance you turn down. Just look at all he’s accomplished, and you’ll find something that ensures that someone like me will never turn down a chance to wrestle him.
I guess this is the part of the show where I start to talk down Stevens’ chances against me. But honestly, that’s not easy to do. He’s proven that he is half as good as he thinks he is, so I can’t use that mode of attack. He held the world title for a combined eight hundred and thirteen days – eight hundred and thirteen days. That’s one day less than Lindsay held the belt. Six hundred of those days were consecutive, which I know only too well is no mean feat. If I’m totally honest, one hundred per cent honest – Sean will be one of two things. Either the longest or the shortest match of my career.
Look at it this way – Sean may no longer be wearing the World Heavyweight Title, but he’s going to be out to prove what he knows. That without the belt he’s still the best. He can say it all he wants but until he does it, well… only he knows it. Meanwhile, I’m coming off some less than stellar results, but I’m going up against the kind of opponent who throughout my career has made me raise my game. The kind where people don’t really think I can pull it off. In a situation like this, where one mistake is likely to be hard to come by and will end the match, we’re both going to be trying to force the other into a mistake. It’s like those old martial arts films where the two grand masters stand there, waiting, knowing that the one who makes any sort of mistake is the one getting knocked out.
And that all sounded better in my head.
I honestly can’t say how this match is going to go. It’s the kind of situation where you can’t start to guess what will happen. Sean’s been at this long enough that he’ll be ready for almost anything, and will change things up. It’s the same thing I’d do – make sure your opponent can’t plan ahead, can’t guess what you’re going to do, and has to waste energy trying to reorganise his thoughts.
The only thing I can guess at is, even though the King of the Cage tournament final is taking place on the same card, this match is the one to watch. Sean, you’ve been ‘selected’ as the guy to save Empire Pro – from what, I don’t know, maybe you can fill us in. But if you can’t beat me, you won’t be saving Empire Pro, and you won’t be getting a crack at First any time soon. You know I’ll be coming at you with everything I have. You’ll be the one to make me raise my game higher than I’ve been forced to in a long, long while.
Thank you for putting out the challenge, Sean. I’m looking forward to facing you – eight hundred and thirteen days as world champion… I’ll have to ask Lindsay how it feels to hold a belt that long in one go.
[FADE OUT]