MAIN EVENT: New ERA Championship - First v Fanatic (c)

[TheOriginalSE]

All RP for the main event match between THE FIRST and FANATIC (c) at Cyberstrike should be done in this thread. Any RP posted outside of the thread will not count.

* This match is for the New ERA Championship.

The RP deadline is 11:59pm PST on FRIDAY, August 12th, 2011. Angles should be sent to neweraofwrestling@gmail.com ..

 

[TheOriginalSE]

* The First RP for C12.

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(FADEIN: A small room that’s been turned into a make shift gym. A treadmill, a bench press, some mats on the floor, free weights all dot the room. Adrian Willard is seen running on the treadmill at a rather brisk pace, sitting in the center of the room on the mats is The First, his face unpainted, he’s wearing a black wife beater, black shorts, and black sneakers.)

FIRST: I tapped out, you got the fans to chant it, you yourself were whipped into a frenzy over it. Fact is I’ll be tapped out time and again. Defeat is inevitable in this business, we live in a world where three seconds decides victory or defeat, where if your arm is being bent in the wrong direction, it’s either submit now, or spent months in rehab, and guess what? The ref doesn’t let the match continue after they hear that ‘snap’.

Today alone I was tapped out 5 times by Adrian Willard...And he submitted to me 3 times himself…Of course I was on bottom the whole time.

WILLARD: Excuses excuses.

FIRST: But that’s what the Shadow Cult is about, pushing yourself to the breaking point, seeking a perfection you’ll never obtain, fighting to be the best you can be. Right now Willard is caught in the middle of a bet between himself and Mr. Cruise. Cammy said he could run a mile in under 6:45. Willard didn’t believe him, money was wagered, and Cruise came in at 6:41, so we’re at the double or nothing stage with Adrian now trying to beat that time.

Because that’s what we do here, we push each other, we drive each other, we make each other better. What are you doing Fanatic? How are you being made better? Listening to Larry Tact blow smoke up your ass about how great you are? Walking around all day muttering about how you have to uphold “The Tact Legacy”? What exactly makes you ready for this match Fanatic?

I tapped out…Yes I did, but I’m not the same man I was that night, I’m better than that man, if you’re not improving, not making yourself better each and every night, then you’re falling behind. That’s the nature of this industry, you can’t fight progress, you can’t hold back the evolution of combat…And more importantly, you’re not Shawn Hart…The only man to beat me in this company.

And that’s what New ERA does…Feeding you worthless, unworthy opponents like Yoshi Hayat, a kid so green he pisses grass. This is what I’ve always feared about this company, that the rules and regulations would be such that the worthy would go begging for title shots while management fed it’s hand -picked champions a series of lambs to be slaughtered. This company is becoming the farce I always said it would be.

There are only 3 other men in this company besides myself who are deemed eligible by New ERA to challenge for it’s title. Suicide, a way past his prime supposed “Legend” of the industry…Richard Dweck, a man who I’ve never heard of, clearly out of the mold of the worthless Yossi Hayat brand of faceless morons fed to other faceless morons till one of them gets three wins…And Mr. Entertainment, who’s gone barking mad since being defeated for the New ERA Title and is thus unfit to seek reclaiming it.

That’s your New ERA Fanatic, that’s the company you wave the banner of and tell the world that it’s what is good and right in this world. Why on earth would Cameron Cruise or Adrian Willard need to beat three men in a row to earn a title shot? And if they did win two matches, would they get the same softballs tossed at them that Dweck and Yossi had? Fact is Fanatic, those who control the system control who can fight you, they make you a puppet who gets to prance around with a title and feel all full of himself. You get to wave that belt around and make big brother proud of you and just how wonderful you really are, but in the end you’re still just a puppet.

And that’s why the farce that is your title run ends at Cyberstrike. That’s why I must take that title from you and begin saving this company from the fools that run it. I will instantly restore honor and credibility to that title once I have it back, and once I am champion again, I will fight tooth and nail to remove that moronic three win rule from the books, I will defend this title against those WORTHY of a title shot, not because they’ve jumped through some hoops that management set up, but because they are WARRIORS who push themselves day in and day out to be the best…

Everything about your existence Fanatic, is a lie, all those empty words your brother filled your head with, are meaningless…The truth is simple…Because there is only one truth in this world…

Survival of the Fittest.

Evolve or Die.

(First turns towards Willard, who’s now picking up his pace, clearly close to completing his mile. FADEOUT)

 

[TheOriginalSE]

Identity.

* Fanatic RP for C12.

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FADE IN.

(A sea of green is revealed to the eyes, lots of neatly-trimmed blades sprouting from the ground. We hear a whistling sound that gives way to the spraying of water from sprinklers, the grass given it's timely nurturing. Panning around, we see cleanly-raked dirt, smooth on its surface. The black fences with orange trim encasing the field, along with almost 42,000 seats around. This is CitiField.

And from home plate we stare out at the pitcher's mound, where Larry Tact stands. Donning baggy blue Levis and a throwback #42 Roger McDowell New York Mets jersey, the camera approaches him as he takes off a classic blue Mets fitted cap with orange logo. He holds it in hand, allowing his chin length golden blonde hair to move freely, as he works over the rim of the cap.)

LARRY TACT: "No matter how many times I come to a ballpark, there's always something new to pick up on. There's always a new quirk or fold to notice, or an interesting factoid to be educated on. And sports are just in that same vein... someone who claims that sports are 'boring' just isn't bothering to try. They don't see the whole picture, don't know how much they're really missing. They simply don't get it. Sports always bring a thrill, or a pain, or a sense of being involved in something unique and special. You never get tired of it; only continue appreciating new and exciting parts of the game."

(The camera comes in to focus on Tact as he looks up with a solemn expression, though we still catch sight of the surrounding field. No extreme close-up.)

"And wrestling isn't just about entertainment. I've carried something of a purist mentality during my career, and at Cyberstrike I said a piece about it, but wrestling is still a sport to love just like any other. There are thing to love, hate, and appreciate. You find new exceptions to rules, new personalities showing up, and all the while have the tried-and-true classic philosophies continuing to make their stand. There's hardly a dull moment on the shows that matter."

"So believe me when I say: New ERA of Wrestling MATTERS."

"One show into the season, and issues are already brewing... tensions are rising... the intensity is being ratcheted up to another level. And of course, the title is being put on the line."

(He fits the cap on his head, the ballpark lights stalled above the rim, leaving his olive eyes somewhat shadowed.)

"But wait, stop the presses! Because according to The First, the New ERA Championship has only been fed unworthy opposition for too long. And according to the First, he will win because he has been...(makes air quotes)... "bettering himself." And because he questions what Fanatic has been doing to "better himself," he surely has delivered..."

(Tact abruptly places a hand on his chest and stumbles back off the pitcher's mound.)

"A STUNNING BLOW!!"

(He stops, stands straight up, removes his hand and looks at where it was on his chest, then shrugs.)

"Or, wait... false alarm. It's just the First's turn to blow his brand of hot air at the Champion."

"Sticks and stones, First. Not that your words don't have meaning, but when so much time goes towards running down the company; ragging on a Champion you had a chance to stop before; hating on a system that you COULD have changed; and squirming at a simple truth? Well, it makes you wonder if you're here to cash in your title shot, or if you just want to play the blame game alongside your Shadow Cult playmates, Adrian and Cam."

(He spreads out his arms, palms facing up, shaking his head.)

"I'll be honest, I don't see what the issue with stating the obvious is. You tapped out to Shawn Hart at BattleBrawl. Did I say that somehow didn't make you a contender, First? Did I say that made you a little shit-stain on the face of New ERA of Wrestling's history? DID I SAY... that you and your accompanying trio weren't going to find a way to make this week interesting?"

"No. Instead, you show just how little you've come along by needing to fall back to.... what, telling us how many times you've been submitted? To... treadmill running races? That... that is how you show that you and your group are all... "serious business?" I mean... that does show me something, but not quite that you're improving."

"It shows me that you, First, have been listening to Cameron Cruise FAR too much on ideas for how to get your point across. I mean, treadmill running is right up there with using weight lifting at the gym, or spitting water out of your mouth... INTENSELY AND ANGRILY.... in order to make some kind of a point. It never works out quite as good as it seems... which also explains a lot about Cameron Cruise."

"And the more you hang around him, the more it may explain about you, First! Congratulations!"

(He smirks.)

"But I digress... you feel the need to defend your having tapped out... to who, exactly? Who are you trying to convince, First? It's got to be yourself, or your Shadow Cult, because it's certainly not me. And I doubt it's Fanatic. Why would you waste your time trying to convince us, or tell us these things when you are so improved, and Fanatic's title reign is just a farce, right?"

"After all, Fanatic only left you shrieking to yourself, after quitting on your effort to defeat him at Cyberstrike Six... then went on to go undefeated in season three.... then man up and state when he would cash in his title shot... and finally, go on to win the New ERA Championship at the biggest show of the season. Yes, clearly, just a farce. There's absolutely no way he earned the title. Completely ridiculous..."

"Did I mention he beat Mr. Entertainment, who was undefeated for three seasons, to do it? And beat him two-out-of-three times in one night?"

(He sighs.)

"Although, I'm not trying to turn this into a pissing contest like you, First. My point is that this all contributes to the image YOU created FOR YOURSELF. Do you know how I got the crowd fired up so easily by mentioning what happened at BattleBrawl? It's because YOU made them, and just about everyone else, think of you as just a shit-stain on the face of New ERA of Wrestling. You're just a black smudge on a prestigious lineage. But those come about every now and again, and they pass without much harm done to the respect of the title. Much like your reign, First."

"So all I did was give the people what they wanted. And all your attempts of writing off what happened, talking about how you've improved? You're just feeding into what the fans want more of. You're just opening the valve on the gas tank, and the station's ready to go up around you and all your excuses that pour out. That's exactly what Cyberstrike will be, when your claims go up in flames, as you feel that sting of defeat again, trying to topple the Elite Enigma. And when that happens, the fans will really blow the roof off, because you are a contender for the New Era Championship. And you will be appreciated as a worthy contender, and someone the fans will undoubtedly enjoy seeing fall. Some people say fans love to build someone up, only to want to see them fall. I think some people just set themselves up so well for a fall, by claiming they are so much better than everyone else. You, First... you're one of those people. And the fans will eat it up, when my brother sends you crashing down, again."

(He laughs.)

"You don't have to say it, though, I know this next page from the Cameron Cruise book... the First doesn't give a shit about what the fans think, right? To be fair, you haven't seemed to care for the better part of three seasons. And I'm not trying to convince you to care, not one bit. I'm just fueling that fire you started, because the Tact Legacy is for the fans. And you can bet Fanatic will be aiming to give them what they want. So thanks for all your contributions."

(He begins walking into the outfield, the camera following and catching him at an angle.)

"And as for your trying to discredit how title shots are awarded... I didn't see you discarding your title shots in protest. Keep in mind, you wouldn't necessarily even have this opportunity if not for being awarded the "Most Valuable Wrestler." Same system, you get one with the other, First, because those are the rules we play by. If you didn't like them, you could have gone to LaRoque and tried to get it changed during the offseason. This isn't a secret. Instead, you let yourself be talked into wearing a t-shirt for some free advertising during an offseason appearance...."

"You know where my brother and I were? We were working out plans for how to grow this company further. We were taking action, having our voices heard by LaRoque, the fans, and making a real impact on New ERA of Wrestling. A long-term impact, not just the fly-by scheming of Shadow Puppet Theater. What exactly do you people have ANYTHING to do with shadows, anyway? Why didn't you just go with HOPE 2.0? It's about as applicable, but I guess that buzzword died of over-saturation in 2008-2009."

(He stops somewhere near the dirt of the warning track around Center Field, and turns to look squarely at us.)

"You want to know what makes Fanatic a worthy, honorable, respectable, and credible Champion? If you're still really trying to figure that out, First, after three seasons, then you're showing more green than anyone in this company. In fact, that entire train of thought just screams rookie, or bush league. Take that f**king attitude and go grow a set of testicles. Man up and realize that you aren't facing someone you can push around. You aren't getting into the ring with an amateur, you're getting into the ring with someone who's accumulated more experienced in his career than you. Someone who's been through more than his share of turmoil-- in the ring, out of it, take your pick-- and has proven he is a bonafide survivor."

"You're facing the high-flying, Craze-inducing, grabs reward from the jaws of risk NEW ERA CHAMPION. FANATIC."

(With a churning sound of mechanical origins, the Big Apple behind the fences raises up. Sitting on it, cross-legged, in silver Puma pants and a throwback #8 Gary Carter New York Mets jersey, is the New ERA Champion himself. The camera quickly focuses in on the Champion of the Craze, and the matching blue mask with silver infinity 'Mark' of Fanatic, embedded across the mask's face. Around his waist, we see the New ERA Championship is fastened-- polished and glinting off the ballpark lights.)

FANATIC
"The First. A man who is ... what? What is your identity, First? While you are so eager to question others ... offer up an alliance ... who is the First to be offering anything? Whether it is an explanation for failure ... reason for the masses to digest that you belong at the forefront of NEW ... rationalizing how you have made strides since your previous Championship opportunity. No matter what you say ... you have not established a line of logic for why anyone should accept your words."

"And while you may not be one who requires approval from those who do not pledge their allegiance to you, blindly ... do remember that it was I who rejected your offer. It was I who you labored to plead your case with, in order to have my allegiance ... and, in that, too, you failed. You then chose forfeit in our prior encounter, rather than making your case where it should be done, on the square field of battle, where all matters are stripped to their bare core."

"For my part, I have improved myself by facing those who were placed along the path I walked for myself. And while you would like to place Larry in a position of vast influence over me, the reality is that guidance can only assist a warrior to a certain point. For instance ... had you been half the success in providing guidance, as Larry ... then Cameron Cruise would have won the New ERA Championship once already. And if Cameron Cruise had been the warrior that I have proven myself to be ... he would have won it twice over."

"However, neither Cruise nor yourself have demonstrated that your Shadow Cult should be taken at face value. It is ironic that you appeared sans that which typically adorned your countenance ... your face paint ... for your identity only becomes more muddled and lucid for it."

"A question for you, First ... do you know why I wear a mask? Do you understand its significance? It is not for lack of an identity. I am apart of the Tact Legacy, after all ... I am brother to Larry Tact. However, the identity that I have developed, on the battlefield? It is not so simplistic as being apart of the Tact Legacy. For I have fought through many battles prior to that time, and have in fact developed a multilayered, versatile identity. And so, had I forsaken that identity which I forged upon the battlefield, I would be disowning the warrior within ... the Spirit within ..."

"For while I aid in representing the Tact Legacy, to be sure ... my identity still remains as Fanatic. It is the nature of the warrior within ... that which I have embraced ... still an embodiment of that spirit the Craze infuses. And this identity you see has brought down an undefeated Champion, in Mister Entertainment. This Fanatic has risen through the ranks and made his mark on New ERA of Wrestling, and shall continue to do so ... despite the protestations of those who feel this Enigma is undeserving ... yet, would rather quit in attempting to displace him, rather than fight to a proper conclusion."

"And so what identity belongs to one who believes in such action? Who are you to question my validity, First? You have no claim over myself, or the New ERA Championship. You would like to believe Mister Entertainment is not worthy ... for he, too, would prefer to battle to a finish, even in spite of the fact that he is not one the fans approve of."

"Whether the people shower one with adoration or not ... it is for each of us to decide. Whether to breed negativity and malice, or harbor a more constructive rapport ... and, for those who are opposed, I suppose battle is something of a consequence. We all suffer the consequences, that is a given ... but the survivors move on. The survivors rise up. And the greatest survivor holds the New ERA Championship."

"Do not attempt to undermine what has passed, First. You should know, by now ... it will only further feed the Craze ... and when it comes to consume, at Cyberstrike ... the measure of our latest battle ... will bring you to a place you were not, at PrimeTime ..."

"... with the subtle embrace of defeat, whispering your next rationale in your ear, before you even knew the balance of your defeat had been recorded ..."

"... all in a blur."

FADE OUT.

 

[TheOriginalSE]

Undisputed Truth

* The First RP#2 for C12.

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(FADEIN: The First standing in front of a New ERA banner, he’s wearing a black “Right to Repair” wife beater, black gi pants and ring boots, his face painted white with a black circles around his eyes that extend in lines in various directions around his face. Muse stands beside him, wearing short dark green hot pants and a low cut black top.)

FIRST: You know Larry…I get it…Nothing I ever say or do is gonna make you happy because that’s the nature of the beast, you cut the other guy down. I talk about how hard we train, you mock me for training hard. I cut a promo hanging out somewhere doing nothing, then YOU talk about how I’m a shiftless lay about, and you’re busting your ass in the gym. It’s a no win situation for me, plain and simple.

Fact is Larry, I don’t care what you think, because there are only two types of people in this world, those who put their heads in the sand and ignore the truth…And those who embrace it with every fiber of their being.

You want to tell me Fanatic is a worthy champion, yet here’s the funny thing about all your pumping him up with all your big talk of his dominating New ERA, his epic victories and his beating of everyone in the locker room. In all your long winded ranting and raving about how great little brother is, and even little brother ranting and raving himself, the two of you couldn’t bring yourselves to say two little words and trust me, you did spend an awful long time talking, so you have no excuse not to have said those words.

Yossi Hayat.

You scream and yell about the “Tact Legacy” and how Fanatic beat Mr. Entertainment, how he did the bull in a china shop act in Season 2…But his first title defense in Season 3, his big opening night win in this season…Swept under the rug…

Because you KNOW Yossi wasn’t worthy of being within 10 miles of that ring…He wasn’t worthy to even LOOK at that title…Much less fight for it…But him being in that ring with you is all the PROOF I need to convict this company of lining up lambs for the slaughter of its ultra-protected champions…And you can’t even bother to defend yourself against that charge.

Cause you know it’s true. You’re ashamed to even have been involved in that sham of a match, because that’s what it was. It was this company spitting in the eye of everyone who’s ever laced up a pair of boots and got in that ring. And the two of you will now run around all proud and pleased as punch to hold that belt, to fight Yossi Hayat, and if you somehow escape this match with me while still holding onto that title, I bet you’ll talk a real big game against Richard Dweck.

That’s what I’ve been talking about Larry…That you and every champion in this company is like Rocky at the start of Rocky 3…Fighting bums, making the money, being protected from having to fight a real challenger, and well…I’m your Clubber Lang…Only after I beat Fanatic and take that New ERA Title from him, he ain’t getting together with Shawn Hart and running the beach and training hard and beating me in the re-match.

This is what it’s about…Fighting the best at all times, it’s what New ERA prevents it’s champions from doing. It’s designed to have people have nice long, safe runs with that belt till the T-Shirt sales drop a little, till the ratings creep down a tick or two, and then they throw a real opponent in there to spike the ratings, and generally speaking, to cause a title change, because fat, lazy champions don’t tend to be in the shape they need to be to fend off a worthy challenger.

You tell me I shoulda worked with our esteemed President to change the rules? (Smiles) you must be joking, this is a man who will not listen, who can’t be made to listen to reason or logic, so when those roads are closed to you, one must do what one can to FORCE change to happen, and the easiest and best way for me to do that is to hold his precious New ERA Championship hostage.

And that’s what I am going to do. That’s the whole point of all of this, this company needs to be saved from itself, it needs to be protected from its management who is slowing poisoning the company to death by promoting with a straight face, matches between frauds and paper champions…I’m doing this company a great service by taking its title off you, because first and foremost once I have that belt, I promise there will be no title defenses against the scum of the undercard. I’ll fight anyone who deserves it.

You know what’s funny Larry, and Fanatic, is that after I do win this match and take this title, the two of you don’t have a right to a title shot. You’ll be at the back of the line, that seem fair to you? The Tact Family Legacy will be to watch on the sidelines as I defend this belt against people NOT from the Tact family? I don’t see any supposed ‘earned title shots’ under either of your names…This is the system you two fools so cravenly support, one that will chew you up and spit you out the moment it’s done squeezing every last dollar it can wring out of you two fools.

But I tire of talking to a man who clings to his little brother to remain relevant. What does our great champion have to say to me? He says to me I have no logic…(Shakes head) no Fanatic, I have PURE logic, on my side. Evolution is real, and it is the nature of the world. The strong survive and the weak perish, that’s all I’ve ever talked about since season 2 began, since I gave up pandering to the local fans who wanted a home town hero to makes themselves feel better about their lives. I stopped pandering and started educating the masses.

You don’t want to accept the truth? Then you’ve already lost.

I did try to save you Fanatic, but you took the easy road, you listened to the praise, the hype, you bought into it…Success is a powerful drug, and accepting that lifestyle is so easy…You worked hard, you deserve this…So what if I’m fighting less than the best now that I’m champion…I had to work so hard to earn this belt, I can take a night off and fight some bum…After you beat Mr. Entertainment and got your photos with the belt, the interviews, the press work, all that fun, I’m sure you went into the front office and shook hands with LaRoque and he told you about how Season 3 was gonna be all gumdrops and lollipops, a tribute to the great Tact Legacy.

And you sat there in your suit and tie and nodded and smiled, because man you did all this, you deserve a season to have everyone tell you how great you are, how hard you worked, how Fanatic is a great hero...The deli line of worthless fools for you to destroy all lined up…Hayat, Dweck, a broken down Suicide, a now mentally defective Mr. Entertainment…It was going to be fun for the whole family and tickets to the Agganis Arena were going to be the hottest ticket in town…You were going to be the hero of the story…

But sadly for you, I called in my marker…Sadly for you, the only man who both DESERVES a title shot in this company and HAS one to cash in as decided to crash your party and ruin your victory lap in New ERA.

Quite simply Fanatic…THIS FARCE ENDS NOW…

A new day is coming for New ERA…Not from my ‘blind followers’ and myself, but rather those who accept the truth, those who understand what this company has done and will continue to do unless stopped…This is the way things must be done…Those who know themselves truly…They are the ones who hear my call, who know my way is the path to perfection, to true greatness…

You talk about combat being where you’re stripped to your core…But you only mouth these words, you say them without meaning it, since your actions prove you to be a fraud and a liar…You stand for nothing Fanatic…Which is why you’ll fall for anything…It’s why you buy into the hype of yourself…

But you don’t want to earn it, you want it handed to you…You want faceless men in suits to scrap and bow before you, to flatter you with words and to hand you piles of cash and put your face on the cover of magazines and TV. Having that title is only the first step towards becoming a legend…And you’re taking the easy way out…You wanted the Tact Family Legacy to be one of a long run as champion, not an honorable one…

Well, you get neither…I’m going to hurt you Fanatic, I’m going to hurt you by ending your title run, by showing you the truth that those who seek to hide behind rules end up shells of their former selves and unworthy of being champions…And after I beat you Fanatic, even without this company allowing it…I’d give you a re-match…And I’d beat you again…And if you wanted a third crack at me…That’s fine too…

And I’d keep beating you till it finally sunk into your head…That what I am talking about is the truth…The ONLY truth…

Survival of the Fittest

Evolve or Die.

(FADEOUT)

 

[TheOriginalSE]

Champion resolve.

* Fanatic RP#2 for C12.

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FADE IN.

(Times Square, New York City. The bright lights flood the night sky with artificial light; skyscrapers and buildings obstruct our view of the sky, leaving large advertising signs to bombard all around streets level and just above; the streets, themselves, have the usual gaggle of diverse humanity circulating through the area. And among them, we find someone who hardly looks out of place, in his blue mask with familiar silver infinity 'Mark' on the front, with the likes of the Naked Cowboy and other mascot characters around. He also has on a New York Giants #89 Mark Bavaro throwback football jersey, and blue Pumas, and sits on bleacher-style seats near the "TKTS" booth for discount Broadway show tickets. Sitting next to him is Larry Tact, wearing a #11 Phil Simms New York Giants throwback jersey, and loose-fitting black Alfani jeans. Sitting around them are a small troupe of fans, who burst out in cheers as the camera must have signaled they were live. After soaking in some of the limelight, the people settle down some, and Tact shrugs with a grin.)

LARRY TACT: "It doesn't really do much to kill messengers of your own undoing, First. You're right; in wrestling, people are always looking for a way to get an advantage over one another. It's a game of identifying weakness, and exploiting it, both in the ring and out. There's psychology at work constantly; but the best of us know better than to pretend to be invulnerable and all-powerful. Everyone has weaknesses, and it's just a matter of being better than them."

"That's a real difference between us, First. Rather than acknowledge your weaknesses, you think that it's better to try hiding them. And you think your opponents are like you, wanting to hide from weaknesses. So you throw out accusations that are a stretch, bordering on flat-out farfetched and unfounded. And you do it in order to try hiding your own weaknesses from us, as a cover. In this case, Fanatic and I don't need to find ways to cut you down. We haven't even been trying to do that. All we've done is state what's right there behind the layers of bullsh** you want to try camouflaging yourself under. Problem is, you're dealing with people that see right through it, and to the vulnerable challenger who's not sure how to handle opposition that has genuine confidence and the capability to call you out on those accusations."

"Now like I said, I'm not going to turn this into a pissing contest, like you want to. The people have heard what you've had to say, the accusations you're so eager to place upon the New ERA Champion, and myself. If that's the way you want to play it, go right ahead. We have a bit more respect for the ability of people to recall the actual events of New ERA of Wrestling, though. We understand that people don't need to be reminded of Yossi Hayat completing the requirement to win three matches in order to earn a title shot, which is the right of anyone in New ERA. We know that he stepped up and cashed in his banked title shot at Fanatic and the New ERA Championship, without provocation. He didn't need to be called out about having a title shot to cash in before he made use of his opportunity, First. He may not have succeeded, but he showed he has no problem stepping up to the Champion and going toe-to-toe, without hesitation. That's something that can't be said for you."

(He picks up a bottle of water that was set near him on the bleacher seats, opens it and takes a swig on this summer night soaked in humidity.)

"See, for all your talk and complaining about how the system is flawed, who should really be getting title shots, and is deserving of them, it really sounds like the same tired old rhetoric of past generations. And while New ERA isn't a place to reject history, we can't live in the past, either. That's one of the most ridiculous things about your whole, "Evolve Or Die" mantra, First. If you want to see real evolution in action, just look at the New ERA system. We have something unique, a structure for title shots that few, if any places on our circuit use! This isn't the same old hat, tired system, where people can just lobby for title shots and get them handed to them. No, instead they have to earn them, in the form of winning matches in the ring. They have to wrestle their way to earn an opportunity at the Championship. I think that's where your issue comes in, First. It's all too simple for you. It's too cut-and-dried. You just have to try finding a way of weaseling something out of the system, and if you can't do it yourself then you'll use your Shadow Cult to do it. Just look at how you got Cruise a title shot; which shows the system isn't flawless, but what system is? It's still something different, original, and from where I've been looking from the past three seasons, it's fair to those who want to earn their way. And I've always been a fan of that, earning your way, and I think the fans can appreciate someone who does that, too."

(The small assembled crowd cheers vociferously.)

FANATIC
"I will not speak entirely for Larry ... however, when we approached Marcus LaRoque about discussing terms for my title shot at PrimeTime ... and then, at PrimeTime, when Mister Entertainment and I demanded to invoke our banked Championship opportunities ... it did not seem a problem. That is, President LaRoque did not seem to have a problem understanding our request, and granting us our title shots based on our claims. And so, First .. it seems your claims of President LaRoque refusing to listen to logic and reason .. are unfounded."

"In time, when the time comes for you to answer the call of the bell .. when the time comes for you to answer the wave of the Craze .. you will realize that your own logic and reasoning .. is that which is flawed. There is validity to your right to a title shot at the New ERA Championship .. and that will be honored, at Cyberstrike. However, if you believe that you have free reign to escape with outrageous claims and faulty logic .. if you believe that is the way of a Champion .. then I will do everything in my power to ensure that the New ERA Championship will not fall into your hands. For I do believe in the honor and respect of the integrity that this title has garnered for itself. The integrity that has been synonymous, in large part, with New ERA of Wrestling. And I will now allow someone to step into the ring and disrespect the Spirit of the Ring, and of New ERA .. with a taint that stems from nothing more than a lack of desire to do what needs to be done, to earn an honest and respectable opportunity."

"At Cyberstrike, First .. you will discover why honor and respect still hold credence in New ERA of Wrestling. You will understand why those qualities .. they are, in fact, the makeup of the Champion .. and that which will overcome your own tainted will."

"And you will see just why the New ERA Championship is something earned, not given ... and regardless of the opposition ... why this New ERA Champion will not relent to the whims of your vulnerabilities."

"Prepare to see the strength of the Craze."

FADE OUT.