Redemption

November 2nd 2009.....

He stumbled backstage, head full of various thoughts running quickly, too quickly to be able to make sense of the jumbled mess. He couldn’t believe it had happened, especially so soon. Leaning against the concrete wall and feeling its coolness against his otherwise extremely hot and sweat soaked skin, he released a sigh of exhaustion and exasperation, indeed if he could be bothered to move his aching legs right now he’d kick himself. Raising his head he saw that he was standing in Gorilla position while the roar of the crowds on the other side of the curtain echoed all around the Joe Louis Arena, still high after the epic main event they’d just witnessed. If only he shared in that high, that utter joy being experienced by seemingly everybody but him.

He’d never felt so lonely standing there in his black wrestling boots and black leather bottoms, loose fitting around his muscular legs even though the limbs were as if they’d rapidly expanded like balloons, calves and veins throbbing while this thighs felt wobbly and lifeless, trying his hardest not to collapse to the ground. It was weird feeling that loneliness, that isolation even though there was a team of people sitting in chairs staring at a bank of monitors and wearing headphones to direct the camera crew for the perfect shot of the action, to let the referee and the announcers know what to do and say. This always bustling hub still wasn’t enough to cure the desperate need for attention he had right now.

Finding that he would get nothing from these people too busy overlooking the monitors, he turned to leave the area, barely noticing the white flash darting past him as Segador moved towards the curtain, sweeping it aside with one hand while holding a microphone, the strains of his theme song blaring and seeming distant. All there was to do was keep facing the other way and duck his head, walk away and see where his feet would take him on his wobbly and fatigued trek to wherever, it didn’t matter where. The journey could be his last for all he knew or cared, the sense of loss deep within great like he’d lost a treasured member of the family. Indeed maybe he had, he couldn’t be too sure with his mind being a jumbled mess of thoughts piled one on top of the other like a scrap heap of feelings and images.

His feet took him away from this area and towards the corridor nearby, stagehands and other wrestlers either standing around or walking by alone or talking in groups of at least two, if not more. He didn’t recognize a single one of them due to his thoughts being too concentrated on his World title loss, wondering just how he could have let it slip from his grasp just two weeks after an epic contest against Rayne Young. All of that effort, that hard work scratching and clawing to even get that spot in the main event let alone beat one of the best in the business and then suddenly, this happened. He didn’t wish to take away from Angelica’s win, after all she wasn’t the same person he defeated in an opening round of the first Whitecloud Memorial Tournament, she’d grown as a woman and as an in ring athlete to become one of the most successful in MCW history, even inducted into the Hall of Fame due to her outstanding achievements.

This was all well and good and she deserved all of that praise but he wanted that taste of it, he wanted to prove himself as one of the best not just to MCW or the rest of the wrestling world but mostly to himself. He’d won a staggering amount of World Heavyweight or Undisputed championships – 26 in total – but still felt like he hadn’t accomplished much with his life and career, something that most people would yearn for he saw as nothing special. He somehow recalled all the conversations with family and friends where every single one of them told him how stupid he was to dismiss what he’d fought for and earned over his career but to him, the very fact he’d been mistreated, seen as little more than dirt on the bottom of somebody’s shoe for four years out of his five working for one particular company, his position as top dog of the company being laughed at by those who weren’t even there when he first held the most prestigious crown in the company and who were lowly opening match wrestlers during his second reign, all of that piled up to give him the feeling that maybe he truly was worthless to professional wrestling.

He’d even gone so far as to revert back to something he’d last done in the early part of his career, wearing a mask to compete as Delfino, a more spiritual persona that allowed him to meditate for his own peace of mind and who fought for good and justice, a modern day superhero who was seen as graceful and elegant as he wowed fans with his amazing array of high flying moves and perfect balance, flips and twists in mid air the order of the day like the luchadors who helped influence that style. As Delfino, he was also unafraid to compete in the more hardcore and extreme battles and it was he who Dazz thought might gain the respect he craved from the people in that company. Indeed, he was correct in his thinking, Delfino having debuted and won not just a battle royal but also taking a championship from a respected veteran, the newcomer rattling up win after win until one person in management saw fit to have him lose purely to stop the momentum this newcomer was gaining.

That hadn’t stopped him or his growing legion of fans, wondering what they’d do if they really knew the truth, surprised that as himself and without the mask he wasn’t given any opportunities to compete, given no respect whatsoever for his abilities yet as Delfino, he was seen as one of the brightest new stars they’d ever seen. For the first time in a while he’d felt confident but that was shattered when, again, management saw fit to make him lose a match he had been close to winning, taking away a Hardcore title he’d held longer than anybody else in the company’s history, stopping him from reaching the 42 week reign that was the record in that company, possibly because he was reaching that milestone through his sheer talent while the two others who shared that achievement were handed the lengthy reign on a silver platter for no reason other than bias.

Despite feeling cheated, he’d soldiered on, winning a tournament to find himself in the main event of the company’s biggest event of the year fighting for the Undisputed championship that had only been debuted 12 months previously, the same night Delfino made his first appearance in the company, a belt created from combining the World Heavyweight title with the rarely defended Cruiserweight title. He’d done the impossible by winning that Undisputed belt and defeating a man seen as the company’s greatest, somebody who could unfairly walk back into the company after 6 months or more away and have his first match be for the main prize, usually walking away as the champion of the company while others, including Dazz himself, were told that a 2 week break required them to “start from the bottom and work your way up”.

Ironically, after deciding to come clean and feeling he’d finally gained the respect he craved, Delfino unmasked, setting aside the Undisputed championship, the Television championship, the American championship and the Slamfest championship he had won and held all at the same time to remove that headwear, revealing that he was in fact Dazz. This shocked everybody and while the fans enjoyed the surprise, some of the locker room didn’t feel the same way. In fact, the very person he’d defeated for the Undisputed title, who had praised him for managing to beat him and be as good as he was, suddenly made an about turn and went right back to the disrespect, dismissing all that Dazz had accomplished while another person who had retired only the week before returned, claiming he felt “jaded by what Dazz had done” when in reality, the only J word he suffered was jealousy, especially since it had been him who lost the American title to Dazz the week before the unmasking.

All of this added up to make him feel as if he had no worth, no point in being a professional wrestler any more. Why waste his time competing week after week and putting his health on the line to entertain if he was going to be subjected to nay-saying and people telling him he would never be as good as they were despite the fact he clearly was. He’d had many more memorable matches and moments throughout the company’s history, having won more, done more and yet he was never even nominated in awards handed out to crown the greatest that company had ever seen. It was as if all of the things he’d done backstage to bring in new and fresh ideas to make it a truly great company, all of the hard work and dedication he’d put in to keep it afloat when others were jumping ship and proclaiming it to be sinking faster than the Titanic, all of those incredible matches he’d taken part in over the years were forgotten, perhaps purposefully, just to spite him and give the accolades most befitting to him to others. All of that was the reason why he worked so hard in MCW, trying to claim some sort of peace of mind and the sort of title hungry egomaniacs he’d had to spend his time around for half a decade made him think perhaps having an amazing World title reign in MCW would help recover all of that lost respect.

Before he knew it, he’d reached his locker room, standing in the doorway and looking into it with its pale walls and white flooring, releasing a sigh as he stepped inside and nudged the door closed without caring that it didn’t click shut. All he wanted to do was just sit and reflect on this loss, try to imagine what he could have done differently to ensure that instead of having to spend his time quietly in this room alone, he’d have been holding the title and being congratulated by others. He moved closer to a bench and sat down upon it, leaning forwards to put his head in his hands and sigh once more as he stared at the ground and at his feet. A morbid curiosity entered his mind, wondering what Angelica herself was currently doing. Was she celebrating as he should have been, congratulated by all who stood in her path or was she also sitting alone in her locker room wondering how she could have lost the World title so soon after winning it while Segador was the one staring at his own reflection in the gold of that championship?

Then he remembered, Segador had rushed past him holding the briefcase he’d earned at All Hallow’s Annihilation, granting him the chance to cash it in for any championship at any given moment. Maybe tonight was the night, just two weeks removed from gaining that briefcase he was ready to cash it in after such an exhausting match between two top athletes, now a third rising star could be the new World Heavyweight champion and he’d be none the wiser due to his mourning of the belt he carried with pride for a fortnight, staying here in solitude. His silence was only broken when the door to his locker room was forced open, slamming against the wall causing him to look up at the angry visage of Priest staring right through him.

Priest: Tell me what the hell that was out there.

He stared at Priest, unsure what it was he meant let alone how to answer a reply to this dominating figure, his presence enough to scare people into laying down for him and after a brutal victory against the disturbing Vitriol in a Buried Alive match just two weeks ago and then the return of the masked monster earlier tonight while Priest and Dazz stood face to face in the ring, Priest seemed even more imposing and dangerous.

Priest: You gonna answer me or do I need to beat it out of you?

He stood up, rising from the bench and feeling no fear, instead the hurt he felt after losing that World title caused him to throw caution to the wind as he strode towards Priest, looking him in the eye and catching the disdain oozing from this larger man staring him down in his own locker room.

Dazz: And what exactly do you mean by that?

The two had been friends for several years, first meeting in the same company that mistreated them both, finding themselves in rare matches against one another and forming a bond over that. Their friendship continued even despite the fact Priest was an employee while Dazz had been named President of CWF, talking as friends one moment and then the Messiah of Metal informing his buddy of the next match he had to contend with against the likes of Christian Connolly and Faith and Roman Steeler and The Punk amongst others. In fact, it had been the one off MCW Legends match booked between Dazz and Priest in early spring of this year that gave Dazz the opportunity to rethink his planned retirement, returning to the ring by signing a contract to work for MCW again, this time not as General Manager or another staff role but as one of the hard working athletes who entertained fans the world over. Their friendship however seemed to give way to the forceful tones as the two spoke to one another right now.

Priest: You know what I mean. I told you earlier to make sure you retained that title so that I could get my shot at what belongs to me and you blew it. You lost that title on purpose just to avoid having to defend against me.

Dazz: What? This is a joke, right?

Priest: Well it’s true, you’re scared to face me because you know you’ll lose.

Dazz: Woah, wait a second, I will never be afraid of you, I’ve known you too long and seen what you can do to know I won’t feel scared.

Priest: I can smell the fear pouring out of you right now.

Dazz: The only thing you can smell right now is the bullshit coming out of your mouth.

The statement only served to anger Priest even more than it seemed he already was, grabbing Dazz by the throat and forcing him back against a wall, feeling the cold breeze blocks against his still warm and sweaty skin while he struggled to get Priest’s hand from around his windpipe. Priest himself merely leaned in closer, bringing his face close to Dazz and curling his lip in fury at what he saw as a disrespectful remark towards him.

Priest: You think you’re funny? I could end you right here, leave your carcass on the floor to be found by whoever happens to be passing by, would you think that’s funny too?

A gentle shaking of his head pleased Priest slightly, enjoying the submission of his friend before loosening his grip from around the throat.

Priest: You still have a rematch, correct?

Dazz nodded, his ability to speak being hampered by the fact he’d almost been choked to within an inch of his life.

Priest: Good. You walk right up to Jacob Laymon’s office and demand a rematch as soon as possible then when you take that World title back from Angelica Jones, you grant me the first shot. Understand?

Dazz: I can’t do it.

Frowning, Priest readied himself to punish Dazz further for his insolence.

Priest: And why not?

Dazz: I can’t just go around demanding things, besides, I think Segador might be the champion now.

Priest: He isn’t, he only warned Angelica he could cash in whenever he liked but even if he had won and became champion, you as former champion would still get to have your rematch.

Dazz: Yeah but that just won’t be possible, Jacob probably already has plans for the title at the next event and how would he let me pick and choose who I defend against if I got it back? It doesn’t work like that.

He felt those huge paws of his friend grab his shoulders and slam him back hard against the wall, shaking him to the core as he stared into those eyes once again.

Priest: Make it work. That World title is mine and nothing will stop me getting my rightful shot at it, not you, not Jacob Laymon, not anybody.

With a final, forceful push, Priest backs away and turns to move out of the room, exiting via the wide open doorway while Dazz watches after him, bringing his hand to his throat and staring at the corridor outside his locker room, sighing both in relief that Priest had left him alone and also in frustration at the task he was being told by his friend to do. Why should he do as Priest ordered and demand a rematch, try to win back the World title purely to grant him the first shot? Even if he wanted to and went through with it, who’s to say Priest wouldn’t then threaten to destroy him if he didn’t lay down and allow his challenger to pin him and become the new champion? His state of mind had already taken a battering thanks to letting that belt slip from his grasp so soon without the threats and demands of a friend weighing on his conscience on top of that.....

******

Early December 2009.....

”Hey Dazz, wanna go on a little hunting trip?”

The question rang through his ears as if it were a knife piercing a block of slightly melted and very soft butter, the surprise of it jolting him from his otherwise calm. Dazz was sitting in a chair at home trying to relax after the attack he’d suffered during the last Mayhem, feeling the effects of the beating all over his body and skull and still without a clue which person had perpetrated it. Of course there was the feeling that it could be anybody but at the same time, several candidates stuck out in his mind, candidates that would’ve likely been the ones to try to take him down and out of MCW for personal gain or a deep hidden feeling that made them feel strongly against the Messiah of Metal.

Perhaps the attacker was Eric Herrera, after all this was a man who was a former Cruiserweight champion and an accomplished fighter in his own right and had been leading Southern Blood for months, trying to lead Jay and Lance Williams towards glory in his inimitable way. For some reason he seemed to have a problem with Dazz from the very first moment Eric turned up in MCW, telling his charges that people like Dazz were showing a false respect to lure them into whatever trap Herrera was imagining was being set up, trying to on one hand show Southern Blood respect and best wishes in their young careers while on the other smiling behind the backs of the hottest new tag team to rise the MCW ranks. According to Eric, people like Dazz were just trying to soften up Jay and Lance to hold them back even further from reaching the heights they were capable of attaining.

Obviously this was just paranoia on Eric’s part, Dazz truly believing that Southern Blood were capable of so much and genuinely cheered them on as they battled, sometimes coming up short, sometimes successful but always blowing everyone away and making their impressive mark in front of the fans and their peers. In fact, earlier that night Dazz had confronted Southern Blood by their locker room and told them to just do what they do best, focus and if the time was right they’d win and if not, hey there’s always a chance to fight another day. Jay and Lance had appreciated the sentiment but Eric hadn’t, staring into the eyes of the veteran and warning him away from his team but surely he had to be thankful that Southern Blood had managed to win the Tag Team championships from The Sisterhood, perhaps thanks in part to Dazz and his veteran experience as one half of one of the greatest tag teams in professional wrestling.

Would Eric Herrera really attack him after his match with Aerik Walker though? Would this apparent animosity seep out into physical violence in the backstage area before hurrying back to his team’s locker room for last minute pep talks? Then again, Nick Cagero had already confronted Dazz while he was still World Heavyweight champion and told him face to face that he’d be coming for the gold again and it didn’t matter who was champion, he’d send a message to let the world know he was on his way to the main events and another championship reign once more.

That message could have been at the expense of the former champion Dazz, taking him out backstage and leaving him as nothing more than a broken heap as a way of showing that for being so easy to take out of the picture, Dazz didn’t deserve the chance to compete for a World title again and that he, Nick Cagero, the self-proclaimed “Original” Son of MCW was the man who would stake his claim on the mountain top considering he’d lost the World title himself in the summer but without actually being pinned to do so. In fact, there was extra reason for Cagero to have been behind the attack on Dazz because the Messiah of Metal had been on the winning side when he and the rest of The Enforcers defeated Hostile Takeover when Cagero was on that side and Nick could have seen that loss as an embarrassment. There was certainly plenty of time to attack Dazz after Cagero had finished with Justin JAWBREAKER earlier in the night.

There was somebody else who could be behind that attack though, a man who had no problems getting personal and destroyed people at whim whenever the need arose. In fact, when it came to heinous and despicable acts to send a message, it seemed that Malakai Laymon had no qualms in doing such a thing to get somebody out of the way or to prove a point, no matter how deluded he may be. Here was a man who at one point was running wild in MCW’s tag team division alongside his brother Jacob but had to sit back and watch while Jacob was handed the reigns of the company and allowed to run things his way, taking MCW to the next level and becoming beloved by fans and the locker room, all of them giving Jacob the respect he deserved.

It was clear and obvious that Malakai was suffering a severe case of jealousy and that’s why he formed the Hostile Takeover group to force Jacob’s hand, trying to do what he can to upset the balance of power and make Jacob put his emotions and his career on the line, manipulating the situation so that Jacob could be ousted as MCW’s owner and make way for Malakai and what might possibly be his reign of terror at the top. That was why Dazz had been welcome to the idea of challenging Malakai’s efforts, thwarting him whenever Jacob needed him. If there was one thing he hated, it was somebody trying to take advantage of a person who was good for a company, good for its future and who could lead the way towards an even brighter future.

The disgust that everybody felt when Malakai stooped to a whole new low, attacking Godiva with a sledgehammer just to destroy the child she was carrying and murder Jacob’s unborn baby only helped prove why people like Dazz opposed Malakai and his cohorts and the fact that Dazz had openly challenged Malakai to try something while he was World champion perhaps exasperated the situation. That could be why he was attacked backstage, Malakai wanting a measure of revenge for the harsh words and the warning that as long as the more dastardly of the Laymon brothers was around to try to storm MCW’s castle walls, Dazz would be one of the first to greet him and send him back from whence he came.

There were several people who could be the mystery attacker and all of those suspects had varying reasons for committing such a cowardly attack from behind after such a hard fought match against a giant in Aerik Walker but while he’d love to be able to sit in the chair resting and recovering from his wounds trying to decide which would be most likely to perpetrate such unwarranted physicality, there was the small matter of that question he’d been asked. He looked across the living room at the man who’d asked him if he wished to go hunting, staring at his half brother Jason Stylez, the native of Longview in Texas with his long black hair tied back and one of his own “Era of Stylez” t-shirts over his torso, the sleeves cut off to show not only the custom logo he’d designed for merchandise that he’d had tattooed on his upper right arm but also the H3 design that represented his sons, all three of them with names beginning with the letter H although with his mind still clouded and a little foggy from the assault he’d suffered at Mayhem both in and out of the ring, Dazz felt guilty for forgetting their names.

Next to Jason was the oldest of the four Stylez brothers, a man named Cody who was better known under the ring name New Age Degenerate during the mid to late 90s in companies such as the uWo, the very same company where Jason had debuted not long after with Cody retiring as Jason’s star was beginning to rise. Cody was showing his age, a few more wrinkles on his forehead as well as the long braids he was known for replaced by a buzz cut due to his receding hairline. The former NAD was dressed casually in jeans and a plain white t-shirt, eschewing the logos and advertising that Jason enjoyed even to this day for something simpler to match his now quiet existence away from professional wrestling.

Jason: Don’t just sit there like you don’t understand the question, do you wanna come hunting or not?

He looked at Jason more closely, eyes flickering towards Cody’s direction and seeing their oldest brother with a slight shake of his head in frustration but also thankful that Jason’s mouth hadn’t let fly something offensive as usual. The youngest of the three legitimate Stylez brothers was Zack, closer in age to Dazz but having retired from the business after only a few years and without winning any championships much like their father Ira. Zack also happened to be noticeably absent, deciding he’d spend time with his own wife and kids instead of the usual fishing and hunting trips Jason and Cody went on but had sent his best wishes for a speedy recovery to Dazz over the phone so at least they got to speak.

Cody: Come on Dazz, you’re not that hurt are ya?

Dazz: Sorry, sorry, errr....yeah sure, we heading over to Montana again then in the morning?

Laughing, Cody nudges Jason as he turns to him and points his thumb back at their youngest brother, mocking him slightly.

Cody: Get a load of this guy. Montana? Seriously?

The alleged “Only F’n Show” joined in with the japery, gently patting Cody’s chest with his knuckles as he too laughed.

Montana? No man, we’re going where the big bears are, Siberia.

Dazz: Si....what?! Tell me you’re joking cause surely you’re not gonna just up and leave to the other side of the world.

Giving him a look reminiscent of the gobsmacked expression Dazz had when he was told they were related, Jason dumbfounded, unsure how to react until it was Cody as the man to answer the question.

Cody: Yes Siberia and yeah, we know it’s below freezing there but come on, it’s an adventure and it’ll help take your mind off the things going on in your career, right?

Dazz: And how exactly will it take my mind off things?

Cody: Easy, you’ll be too busy bitching about how cold it is to give a damn about the fact you’re turning into Jason and losing matches all the time.

The comment caused Jason to line up a smack to Cody that wasn’t too hard on his arm but let him know he didn’t find it funny, Cody on the other hand looking at him and laughing, seeming to enjoy the reaction he got before turning back to face Dazz with an almost pleading expression.

Cody: Come on, pretty please? Could be fun, the Stylez boys hiding in the snow with shotguns waiting for bears, killing what we can, eating their flesh over a roaring fire and bringing the skins back for winter clothing. Might need it if we go up to Canada again. Whaddya say?

It sure was something to consider and being the eldest of the four, Cody had a sort of stern yet warm way with words, a stark contrast that belied the Stylez clan themselves with their differences in personality all meshing to form a unique and some would say unusual family unit but with the sort of cohesion and mutual respect that would make some jealous. If it had been Jason trying to convince him the trip would be worth it, his speech would’ve been full of expletives and sly insults and digs, his usual way with words that it seemed both he and Dazz picked up from their father, Zack being quieter like his mother while Cody had a healthy balance of the two.

The words lingered in his head, balancing daintily on the tightrope of thought, should he go with them and potentially die of cold yet have fun with his half brothers or stay at home and constantly hear from them about how awesome the trip was and what they did and how he should’ve gone and would’ve wished he’d been there. That was another tactic they liked to deploy sometimes when they wanted him to go through with a vacation or trip somewhere, how they got him to go hunting in the first place, discussing the last time they’d been and how amazing it is, guilt tripping him into eventually giving up, conceding defeat and going along with it.

This was another of those times and with a gentle yet brief nod, he confirmed his place on this Siberian bear hunting trip. The two brothers sitting on the couch only smiled, thinking the wink they shared had gone unnoticed, Dazz immediately knowing something was up and that they had more in store for him than just a regular vacation to one of the coldest places on Earth. The trouble is, what was it they had planned and how could he make them inadvertently spill the beans so he wouldn’t be taken completely by surprise when they arrived there?

That’s why he was on guard constantly, keeping a close eye out in case something was suddenly thrust upon him at the last second, catching him by surprise when he least expected, whatever the plan may be. They’d landed at the airport together, Dazz with jeans and a huge coat complete with sunglasses and hat, doing his utmost to keep warm while Jason and Cody braved the cold in their past conquests, bearskin coats and hats covering them up from the bitterly cold chill of the Siberian air despite it being early morning. They’d purposely got here at this time to reach the small cabin they’d occupy for the entirety of the trip and still have time to scout the area to see where the bears roamed before it got dark.

Arriving at the cabin had taken a number of hours hard trek through the snow and ice on snowmobiles, the road too treacherous to go by anything with wheels. To say the wooden building was tiny would be a complete understatement, the cabin probably built to house a family of midgets and not three huge professional wrestlers. Without saying a word, Jason walked through a door opposite the front door and a heavy thud was heard, Dazz and Cody looking at each other before the elder of the pair rolled his eyes and sighed, making his way towards the room with Dazz in tow. The sight they had didn’t surprise them in the slightest, a regular occurrence during their vacations. Sprawled out on the biggest bed in the cabin with a huge grin on his face was Jason.

Jason: I call this bed.

Cody: Oh fuck you Jase.

Jason: Don’t be mad that I was here first.

Dazz: Which of us has the most World championships, huh?

That comment caught Jason’s attention, looking at Dazz with a slight frown, his stare a silent communication of his answer.

Dazz: Exactly, now get off my bed.

Jason released a heavy and disappointed sigh, pushing himself off the bed and shooting a look at Dazz that caused Cody to laugh loudly.

Cody: Well he has a point Jase, nicely played Dazz, wish I’d thought of that myself.

Jason: Whatever man.

Dazz: Hey Jason, don’t be mad that I won more than you buddy.

Once more Cody laughed as Jason stormed out of the room clearly sulking. The two remaining in the bedroom just laughed it off, knowing Jason’s nature and letting him do his own thing till he wanted to return and put his belongings away. Dazz began to unpack, putting his clothes in a drawer then taking a long bag that contained the double barreled shotgun Cody had bought him before. He sat on the bed, feeling that it was comfortable enough and not too soft, watching as Cody had already finished unpacking and was holding his own gun in both hands, holding it out towards a wall and looking down the length of it for a few seconds before placing it down with the barrels open and with no ammunition inside to prevent it accidentally going off. Safety was something Cody had always been keen on despite the reckless attitude of Jason who even at his age in his mid 30s had to be constantly reminded to be careful and not mess around with something that could so easily injure or kill a person.

Leaving the room, Dazz went to check on Jason, see what he was up to and finding him standing staring intently at a painting on the wall. Moving closer, Dazz saw that it was a painting of a boat riding tumultuous waves that were crashing down upon the deck and the hull, white foam contrasting the otherwise darkened seas and skies of the picture. What caught his eye and probably that of Jason’s was the glimmering from a particular part of this painting, a golden glow coming from the boat’s sails.

Jason: Think it’s real gold?

Dazz: Huh?

Jason: The sails.

Dazz: Oh, err, yeah probably. Looks like it.

Cody: You two become art critics now or something all of a sudden?

Startled, Jason and Dazz jumped and turned to face Cody, watching as he moved deeper into the room with a big box he’d kept the contents secret the entire journey here. Placing the box on the top of a table, he opened it and finally revealed what was inside while Jason and Dazz walked over to admire it.

Cody: Well boys, what do you think?

Jason: It’s……it’s beautiful man.

Dazz stared as Jason looked in absolute awe at the bottles of beer on the table, dozens of them and more than enough for their entire extended family. Jason was hungrily licking his lips at the prospect of getting to drink so many while Cody, always the sensible one, would more than likely try to savour them for as long as possible. Dazz felt bad because he wanted some but had also been trying to stay teetotal since he ditched the drugs and alcohol in early 2008. Then again, he’d only be in the wilderness of Siberia with his two brothers, no need for drinking responsibly and only ingesting non-alcoholic drinks since there was nothing that could happen out here. Besides, it made a change from the vodka that was apparently rife amongst hunters in this part of the world, with the horror stories of people accidentally shooting themselves or others in the face whilst drunk on the more potent spirit.

Cody: Hate to burst your bubble guys but this beer’s gotta stay where it is and only be drank at night, in the meantime, we got some scouting to do.

Jason: Can’t that wait until tomorrow though?

Jason’s drinking was notorious and he even consumed alcohol on his way to the ring during his last run in the business, being found propping up bars instead of training for big matches and Cody knew that this coupled with his intense hatred for cold weather was causing his way to get out of leaving the cabin altogether. Indeed, if Jason had his way, they’d spend the entire trip with beer bottles permanently fixed to their mouths until every drop was gone and then they’d fly straight back home again.

Without saying a word, Cody reached over and slapped Jason in the back of the head so that even Dazz felt it, Jason quickly grabbing his skull and staring at Cody. Dazz walked away, going into the bedroom and collecting the guns, draping them over one forearm while grabbing the leather satchel of ammunition with his other hand, bringing them out to his half brothers as they took their guns, Cody with a smile on his face while Jason still looked pissed off from being slapped in the head. Checking their guns again, Cody took charge of the satchel of ammo and placed it over one shoulder, leading the way towards the front door while Dazz went last, gently pushing Jason to ensure he didn’t try to grab at a beer bottle and take it with him.

Closing the door behind them, the three began to march off across the snow in single file, Cody leading the way as they tried to keep themselves warmer by constantly moving, their legs feeling the hot blood within surging through their veins, causing their muscles to disobey the otherwise freezing temperatures while the thick clothing they wore also did the job and kept them at a comfortable and reasonable warmth. Cody suddenly stopped in his tracks, causing Jason to almost bump into him as the elder brother raised his hand for silence.

Trying to look at what Cody had seen, Dazz noticed a few massive brown bears standing nearby, almost oblivious to the three men standing watching them with shotguns. Cody reached into the satchel, taking out some ammo and putting it into his own weapon before handing some first to Jason and then to Dazz, carefully and slowly placing the shells in without making a sound. As if by some miracle, all three guns were cocked and ready to be aimed with the bears still completely unaware of the Stylez presence. Cody was the first to take aim, lining up his shot with one of the bears followed by Jason but just as Dazz was ready to take aim, something caught his eye that surprised him.

It looked like a person was already out in the snow, staring at the bears like he was there first and the brothers had intruded on his hunting grounds. Was this really somebody else’s territory though? He was unaware and if Cody had known he wouldn’t have come here and would’ve chosen somewhere else to stay and hunt for bears. Something seemed different about this person though, Dazz raising his arm out to the side to catch the attention of Jason and Cody, the two looking at him as he motioned towards this other person. Cody reached into a bag lying at his knees on the snow, removing a pair of binoculars and raising them to his eyes to look out before having an expression of shock and horror on his face.

Quickly passing the binoculars over, first Jason got to have a look and then Dazz, peering into the distance to see what his brothers had seemed so shocked about. It was a person all right but not the kind normally associated with the human race. This person was solid yet looked a blue-white hue, no hair or features other than what seemed to be chiseled out of…….it couldn’t be, maybe his eyes were playing tricks due to the jetlag or the freezing cold weather or even the white surroundings that purveyed the scenery but it seemed as if this person in the distance was made completely out of ice.

This iceman was just stood there watching the bears with a keen interest, tracing their every movement until one of them happened to come into the same line of vision that the Stylez men occupied, the iceman spotting them instantly staring at him. With a loud and blood curdling roar that echoed through the emptiness of the wilderness, putting the chills in the brothers that even the bitter cold air couldn’t manage, Jason aiming his shotgun at the iceman and firing off a few rounds but nothing reached from the distance they were occupying, Jason cursing the fact they didn’t have weapons with a longer range.

Jason: Shit, why couldn’t we have had rifles?

Dazz continued to stare at this creature, wondering what its intentions were until he, like his half brothers, began to scramble in panic as the iceman gave a loud roar and started moving, its steps upon the snow leaving no trace of a footprint until it gained speed and charged towards them. All three members of the Stylez Dynasty out in this snowy wilderness ran the opposite way, trying to escape this thing and head back to the cabin, hoping it would lose them and therefore leave them alone but when each looked over their shoulder, they saw that it was still approaching and gaining fast. It was then that Cody, being the oldest and therefore feeling it was his duty to protect his family, decided that he would stop running and turn to face this iceman, holding up his shotgun and lining up a shot.

The explosion of gunpowder started Dazz and Jason, both turning around to see Cody perfectly still firing off rounds from his gun, managing to chip away at the icy shoulder as specks of frozen water fly from this iceman’s shoulder, seemingly unaffected as it continues to stampede toward the brothers. Dazz and Jason looked at one another before hurtling towards Cody, standing by his side as all three fire off their rounds, hoping to stop this thing from attacking them. One particular bullet connects with the iceman’s face, staggering it back slightly as it seems to almost try to wipe the shards and fragments off it before squinting its eyes toward the brothers and continuing to charge towards them with purpose.

Quickly reloading, the Stylez clan took aim once again, ready to fire until a dark light appeared in the sky, coming down towards the ground and ready to impact behind the iceman before quickly twisting and zipping towards the back of the iceman. With all three watching in awe, the dark light smashed into the back of the iceman, surprising it immensely as a look of horror formed on its face, the dark light bursting through its chest before landing with a thud in the snow, tossing up the white powder before allowing it to settle again. The iceman itself fell to its knees, clearly in agony as it collapsed and shattered into millions of pieces, chunks of ice lying on the ground that melted into the snow, a golden glow of light emanating from the remains as, to further surprise Dazz and his brethren, something rose up from the former iceman. The golden glow shone brighter as an eagle flapped its wings, gaining height before shrieking and turning away, flying into the distance until its became little more than a dot on the horizon and finally vanishing into thin air out of sight. Cody looked at his younger siblings, his mouth agape.

Cody: What the fuck was that?

Jason remained strangely silent, no idea what happened but Dazz seemed to be slightly wiser to these strange circumstances, the revelation clicking in his mind as he realized what it all meant. An iceman that turned into an eagle with a golden glow after somebody else had saw fit to defeat it and take it out of commission before he and his brothers had the chance to do so themselves? It seemed more than obvious just what was going on, despite the farfetched nature of it all.....

******



Sitting in the dark, I can't forget
Even now, I realise the time I'll never get
Another story of the Bitter Pills of Fate
I can't go back again
I can't go back again....

But you asked me to love you and I did
Traded my emotions for a contract to commit
And when I got away, I only got so far
The other me is dead
I hear his voice inside my head

We were never alive
And we won't be born again
But I'll never survive

With dead memories in my heart

You told me to love you and I did
Tied my soul into a knot and got me to submit
So when I got away I only kept my scars
The other me is gone
Now I don't know where I belong

We were never alive
And we won't be born again
But I'll never survive

With dead memories in my heart

Dead visions in your name
Dead fingers in my veins

Dead memories in my heart

Dead Memories - Slipknot



******

December 13th 2009.....

It was seen as a low point in his career, a losing streak that seemed to be the curse of all who held the World Heavyweight championship recently. Rayne Young had been on a streak of losing almost every match since he won the World title from Angelica Jones in late summer, worst of all, he found out he had a form of pancreatic cancer. Luckily it was discovered early and he may recover but the fact he had such a debilitating disease was proof enough that the conspiracy theorists may be correct in saying the belt had been cursed. After winning it in a hard fought victory against Rayne in his final match, Dazz thought he had finally reached the pinnacle, got on top of the world for the first time in a very long time but instead, just two short weeks after being heralded by all as the new king of the MCW mountain, he lost it.

It wasn’t that he didn’t try hard enough, he gave it his all as he had every week since he made his return to the Motor City, it’s just that on this night Angelica had proven to be that little bit tougher, that little bit more determined and it upset him greatly to think his efforts had all been for nothing if he could so easily lose what he worked hard to gain against many opponents, even defeating Angelica herself to become the number one contender against Rayne Young. To then lose to her in a contest where the winner would gain the ultimate prize and also temporarily hold both singles titles in MCW before quickly vacating the Motor City belt was hard to swallow, difficult to bear the burden of such a loss and finding that he was incapable of defending a title after years of success, years of having the first title defense be a successful one caused great upset and shifted his focus to become unbalanced.

That then set about a downward spiral where his next match against “The Silverwolf” Aerik Walker also ended in defeat and to make matters worse, he was attacked backstage by somebody who didn’t have the courage to face him, to look him in the eye before they struck, leaving him a heap on the floor of the Joe Louis Arena wondering what the hell had just happened to him. Just what was happening to him? Why was he in this funk of losing matches that seemed massively important, especially in light of the fact that every victory counted towards the League of Superstars rankings and the top four in the company got to battle for the World Heavyweight championship. It could possibly be his only chance for the moment to regain what he lost to Angelica and losing matches was something he didn’t wish to have happen, especially considering he might potentially be overtaken by somebody else and be left standing on the sidelines watching on the monitor as another person took the belt for themselves.

It wasn’t that he was egocentric and needed the title to survive, those days were long gone, instead he needed it to prove to himself that he had something special to give to the world, something that meant he could still do this with the best of them. As far as he was concerned, there was still some fight left in him before he could give it all up for good and officially retire forever. Until that day came, his one desire, one wish was to take on the absolute best in the world, see what he could do for his career as far as even more memorable moments, even more championships, even more matches that go down in history and even more meaningful experiences hanging with those who paved the way for the likes of him as well as those younger stars breaking into the business who look up to his generation as the veterans and “go-to” guys for advice.

That particular title was what everybody strived to have, the main object of desire for anybody joining a company for the first time, all wanting to impress and get victories so that they would be considered as a potential contender and – hopefully – become the champion by besting the one person who stood above all others. Dazz had been there multiple times, used to the spotlight and the attention that being World champion brought about. Having lost to Aerik Walker, he found himself against Eric Sailes, the son of Whitecloud having returned with a new outlook on life and his own career, ditching the Iceman persona and feeling he was living up to something he wasn’t, instead choosing to compete under one of his birth names, that handed down to him by his people, a tradition that dated back centuries. He was now competing under the name Golden Eagle.

Dazz was seen as a brother and a friend to Whitecloud and thus, Eric called Dazz by the term Uncle, one of few close enough to the family bond to have such an honour and privilege bestowed upon them. His new lease of life had seen him outshine his opponents for the first few matches of his big comeback and although he suffered a setback in a loss to Vitriol and Ambrosia, nothing could dampen the spirit of this talented young man and so he was thought of as a great challenge to the Messiah of Metal, especially considering his more recent slump. He’d racked up losses so to take on somebody like Sailes who was a younger albeit less wise version of his father was a huge obstacle. Despite the friendliness and respect between the two, they both knew all of that would be put to one side from the moment the bell sounded until one of them gained victory.

The shock of what happened though was still resonant, waiting in the ring for his opponent to walk to the battlefield but forced to watch as the face of Malakai Laymon flashed up on the screen instead, standing over the broken body of Eric Sailes and proclaiming it a taste of what would happen to his half brother Jacob at Nightmare Before Christmas. Sure, he didn’t have to take on Sailes in competition and thus another crisis of confidence had been averted but then again, it was a total sham to himself and to the fans who had been excited after hearing who he’d have to square off against, nobody getting the chance to see two great athletes wage war between the ropes but then share an embrace and a conversation when all was said and done.

If there was anything Dazz hated more than arrogant and talentless people running around with all the power and respect, it was unfairness, especially that perpetrated by the likes of Malakai in stopping the fans getting to see something that would have blown the roof off the building. Even if he were to lose yet again, it wouldn’t have mattered because at least he could have said he’d tried his best and fell at the last hurdle against Golden Eagle instead of being cheated of the opportunity to test himself and try to drag himself out of the slump through his own hard work and talent. That was why he’d demanded Jacob Laymon draw up an unbreakable contract to allow him the chance to do whatever he wanted and not get punished by management or the law if anything like what happened to Golden Eagle ever went down again.

Of course, having the final Mayhem of 2009 off to spend at home helped him greatly, letting him spend his time poring over that contract, reading and re-reading every single tiny detail to ensure he understood every single word, ensure he didn’t need to call his lawyers to get some amendments made to the papers before him. Satisfied with the wording of the contract and the stipulations within, he signed on the dotted line, walking over to the fax machine and placing it gently inside before pushing a button and watching the paper go right through while the insides whirred into life. As he watched the contract go through the machine, he smiled to himself at the previous night’s Mayhem show. It felt weird watching from afar, not being able to say to people “Dazz was present” for the first time since before he’d even returned but it seemed an entertaining show nonetheless.

Some might argue that his presence was very much felt but to him, if he didn’t get to compete and hear somebody’s name uttered in victory, it was as good as having the night off, treating his locker room as his home until the show ended and then traveling back to California where he could go over that piece of paper that seemed to mean so much to him after that senseless attack on Golden Eagle. That was what set him apart from others who cared more about how many championships they could win or how much of the spotlight they were hogging, those sort of people couldn’t wait to get out of there and go to the closest party where hangers on and leeches could tell them how amazing those people were while he liked to settle in the locker room and be among the last to leave the building when everybody else had packed up and gone home.

Still though, what a great Mayhem it was, Segador taking Dan Driver to the limit, Jackson Adams besting Glory Braddock, even Vitriol and Ambrosia becoming the new Tag Team champions just two weeks after Southern Blood won them from The Sisterhood couldn’t dampen proceedings. What was a huge shock was the fact a lottery was called and pushed through after Mayhem, shaking MCW to its very foundations just two weeks before Nightmare Before Christmas, two weeks before MCW’s final show of the year. It was sort of like pulling the rug from underneath the feet of the contented, waking them up to the fact things were about to change heading into 2010, starting with the Tag Team championships changing hands, followed by the draft lottery to split the roster in half and finished with a dose of championship matches at Nightmare Before Christmas, crowning a new Motor City champion, crowning the first champion in the return of the Hardcore championship and – potentially – crowning a new World Heavyweight champion.

The draft lottery was a first for MCW, never before had such a talent influx made the decision necessary to have two shows and everybody was crowded around, eagerly awaiting their name to come up and see exactly where they’d end up. It seemed that Mayhem would be operated by a Laymon, depending who wins the Electric Chair match at the pay per view it could be Jacob or Malakai, while the new show Livewire would be run by Angelica Jones herself. It made for something interesting considering she was the current World champion and brought about a lot of questions on what may happen and whether she’d purposefully lose the title at Nightmare Before Christmas or whether she’d retire it should she win the fatal four way match for the championship.

Even he stood in nervous anticipation, wondering how the lottery would work out for him, looking around at all the other nervous faces surrounding him, one by one their names called to one show or the other. Tag teams had been split up and separated, others moved together. It was the unpredictable nature of the draft that saw the former champions Southern Blood torn apart with Jay Williams heading over to the new show Livewire while Lance stayed on Mayhem while new champions Vitriol and Ambrosia stayed on the show that was very aptly named due to their actions. Finally, his name came up, it was time and once the announcement was over, he felt both relieved that the tension was over but also surprised. He would be moving to Livewire himself, saying goodbye to Mayhem and not even having the chance to say he got to compete on his final trip to the show that had put MCW on the map since the old days of Titans on Tuesday nights.

He looked at the list of names either staying on Mayhem or moving to Livewire later in the week, staring on the computer screen as he tried to take in the still shocking news even days after the draft happened. The connotations were huge going into Nightmare Before Christmas, what with two of the championships that were up for grabs at the event being contested between people who represented both shows, both brands. The match for the vacant Motor City championship – that same championship that was stripped from Angelica Jones the night she won a “Title Versus Title” match against Dazz and took the World title from him – was to be contested between Lance Williams, Segador, Kayla Jones and Lilith Evans, Mayhem having two representatives in Lance and Lilith while Kayla and Segador had been drafted to Livewire. What could happen if a Livewire wrestler won Mayhem’s midcard championship?

Then it hit him like a ton of bricks. The World Heavyweight championship that he was trying to regain was the main belt on the Mayhem show, Livewire having the Global title yet to be introduced and competed for, was being contested by four people with only one of them representing Mayhem itself. The consequences for Monday’s regular broadcast and its roster could be dire, if three of the four won that belt. Indeed, the current World champion was also planning to retire when she lost all championships and having had the Motor City title taken away upon winning the main prize and dropping the Tag Team titles to Southern Blood a mere month ago, if she lost this match she’d be done for good. But, on the other hand, she was also Livewire’s owner, the rival to Mayhem.

On the other hand were both Jay Williams and Dazz himself, also now drafted to Livewire and thus, while the belt meant a lot to both of them for varying reasons, to win it and take Mayhem’s main championship over to the show they had been sent to would yield even more repercussions, possibly meaning they’d have to compete on Mayhem as well as Livewire unless they lost the belt to somebody on that show. In fact, the only Mayhem competitor involved in the match was Priest, who had been looking to grasp at the World title and wrap it around his waist since stepping into MCW for the very first time. He’d even threatened his longtime friend and warned him to get back that title just to give the big guy what he saw as his rightful shot at it, now he didn’t need to have done such a thing because he’d managed to win enough matches throughout the year to gain a chance at the very thing he craved more than anything else.

With just days to go before Nightmare Before Christmas, Dazz sat down in his chair, staring at the camera that had been set up before him outside a Santa’s Grotto deep in the heart of Detroit, a big red fur coat to protect him from the cold winter air, his Gucci sunglasses adorning his face while lines of children stand behind him waiting to see Santa Claus and ask for a variety of presents at Christmas. Lights shone brightly in an assortment of colours while decorations made the area look even more wondrous and fantastical with everybody getting into the festive spirit, excited for the big day when families come together and gifts are exchanged.

Dazz: Welcome one and all to the Motor City as it gears up for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ in the most commercial way possible. For some though, it will be a nightmare. See what I did there? Nice little segue. Anyway, Nightmare Before Christmas is almost upon us and once again I find myself in a pay per view main event match battling for the World Heavyweight title. This time instead of facing one great wrestler, I have three to contend with in a fatal four way battle, each one of us desperate to either become or retain the World championship and have all the momentum when 2009 ends and 2010 begins.

Thanks to my long run of wins until Barney Green managed to beat me back in October, I qualified in the top four of the League of Superstars, lucky really because once All Hallow’s Annihilation was over I somehow fell into a slump I haven’t got out of yet. Losing the title I’d earned the right to challenge for in the Charged Chamber hit me, knocked me for six and gave me something to think about. Had my winning streak been a stroke of luck, was it time my luck began to run out on me and inform me that every victory since July had been flukes? Some might say so, hell I did too after Aerik Walker had me down for the count thanks to the 747 but after the blatant disregard for fairness and the sanctity of in ring competition we had to see last Mayhem when Malakai Laymon decided to attack Golden Eagle and rob me and the fans of something special, that lit a fire underneath me.

Sure, some might try to say that I won that match by default, my funk is over but to me, I didn’t lose that match but I also didn’t win it so this match, this epic match where everything is on the line, where not just the biggest prize on Mayhem but reputations and pride are all worth fighting for, is the one where I can either prove it was a temporary thing and that I’m back in the saddle or prove that maybe it was a case of overconfidence and that I need to rethink my strategies come the new year.

With the new year comes a new beginning, a beginning where every single soul in MCW will face a fresh start. For the Laymon family, one will be electrocuted and sent packing from MCW while the other will rule the roost and be in charge of this company, overlooking everything and making all the decisions. For other families, either a sibling retiring while the other continues to work underneath them as an employee or siblings get split up and forced to go it alone and see how they fare.

Let me tell you though, regardless what each individual is going through thanks to this draft lottery and people being moved to one show or the other, I see it not as a bad thing but as something that’s new, exciting, it gives everybody a chance to prove themselves all over again. Here’s an example. This time last year, I was Slamfest champion having won it the year before, I was Television champion after winning it in the semi final of a tournament to decide who faced the Undisputed champion and I also held the Undisputed title after defeating the previous holder of that belt due to the aforementioned tournament reward. I ended the year holding three championships at the same time within the same company. Come the new year though, I added another by winning the American title then retired from this business having successfully defending the Undisputed title and deciding that I’d had enough of professional wrestling, vacating all those titles I’d worked hard to earn.

Now here I am ready for the start of a brand new year and I’ve had a fresh start in a company I helped to create and build. I’ve already held the World Heavyweight title here and been on a tear since summer and once again, for the second year in a row, I’m involved in the main event of the final show of the year for the main prize in the company I work for. I have the respect I needed, the praise I worked to gain, now I’m coming up against three of the best there is with all of us ready to do what it takes to become champion, all the while the spectre of Segador and his briefcase looms in the background watching, waiting to see who wins and wondering whether the moment to strike and cash in is now.

The fact is, the four of us battling for what’s around Angelica’s waist are more than capable of fighting each other and more than capable of dealing with that number one contender’s briefcase. Could it be used in a few days, a few months, a year? Who knows but the four of us…….the four of us are seen as the worthy ones in MCW. When we all had our first MCW match of the year, not one of us thought that it might lead to this moment, we just got on with things and did what we could, win or lose. To be amongst the top four of the greatest wrestling company in the world today is an honourable thing, sends chills up the spine to be thought of as the best MCW has to offer even with guys like Lethal Weapon, like Segador, like Golden Eagle, Nick Cagero, the list goes on and I’m clearly in good company.

Although not for much longer.

None of us saw the draft lottery coming and when the announcement was first made, we all felt that wonder, that curiosity, trying to figure out how it would work, who would go where. Now we do know and after Nightmare Before Christmas, none of us will get the chance to share the same locker room as a lot of others competing that night. It’s the nature of that unpredictable lottery that provides us all with not just the fear of going it alone and trying to fit ourselves in with the others who have found themselves in the same predicament but the sheer determination to prove ourselves as the best of the bunch on whichever particular show we represent. Lets face it, SkaFace will want to be shown as the most dominant team on Livewire and winning their Tag Team title contender match against Green Order and Lethal Coalition will prove it, hell they are the only tag team involved in that match that haven’t been split up by the lottery.

Which brings me to one of my opponents in this contest, Jay Williams. Now Jay, when I shook your hand and told you how great you are and could be, I wasn’t lying, I wasn’t distorting the truth. No, I was giving it to you straight as somebody in my position should. Look at my tenure in this business, almost 11 years competing against the absolute best week in and week out, learning as I went along and trying to pass what I know to guys like you who need to be shown the way.

No I’m not a teacher, I’m not the type of teacher that Eric Herrera is, I’m just a guy who welcomes newcomers and people like you still feeling new to the situations around you to come talk to me, ask a few questions and see if I can hand out advice if needed. Eric may not like the fact I respect you for all you’ve done so far but truthfully, he only seems to find happiness in his own title reigns and in his condescending attitude to both yourself and Lance. Think about it, whenever you do something wrong, whenever you lose a match or find yourself unfocused momentarily, he’s right there letting you know about it, treating you like a scolded child. I heard he was doing the exact same thing since last Mayhem when you and Lance lost the Tag Team titles, chipping away at your confidence and acting like he’s trying to help but answer me this. Where was Eric when you won those belts?

I’m not trying to stir up trouble, merely asking a question. Was he there with a bottle of champagne and a pat on the back or did he just shrug his shoulders and tell you that you’ll probably lose the belts soon and that you never listen to him? Because, lets be honest for a moment here, he seems just a little jealous of the fact Southern Blood have worked their asses off without him, jealous of the fact people like myself and Lethal Weapon have shown respect to you both and that’s probably why he came in, acting like you needed guidance but instead trying to rip down that wall until you revert to your old ways. He wants you to go back to what you used to be just to smirk as you get hounded out of MCW, forcing Lance to also leave in shame just as the two of you get going in your careers.

Sure, you had Lance at your side for the best part of a year almost and this draft has ripped Southern Blood apart before you could even try to reclaim those Tag Team titles but answer me this Jay. What would you prefer? Would you want to continue teaming with Lance across shows, keep Southern Blood alive despite you being moved to Livewire with me and Lance staying on Mayhem or would you want to try and make it on your own, beginning with the World Heavyweight championship? That choice is up to you, not me, not Eric, nobody except for you. As a former tag team specialist myself, I know how hard it is to adjust after being part of a unit for so long. When Chaos A.D. reformed in mid 2002, I formed a team with one of the new members, a guy by the name of Violent A and together we held not just singles titles but also every single tag belt we could get our hand son, eventually becoming known as one of the most dominant tag teams in this industry’s illustrious history.

The team continued for almost two years until he attacked me and we went our separate ways, he eventually renaming himself and going by his real name of Alex Taylor and ditching the ICP face paint and dyed hair to wear a mask and you know what happened to him? He held the World title twice. Imagine that, two tag team champions, a dominant and powerful pairing, going our separate ways with one having two World titles in a company while the other held two World titles and the renamed Undisputed belt in the exact same company. Think about it Jay, could Southern Blood repeat that? It’s up to you to decide for yourself whether it happens or not.

You talk about the big decision, whether to accept who you really are or be thankful for whatever opportunity is tossed in your direction. I say why not do both? Accept that you are Jay Williams, the Professor of Pain and former Tag Team champion, daring to be different and break the mould according to what Eric tells you and go your own way. Whatever you do though, don’t give up the respect you’ve earned because from experience, I know that if you win a major championship without having the respect of those around you, that win, that title reign seems hollow and empty and not worth having. Being a champion while the locker room veterans and rookies look to you as their champion, look to you as the main guy in the company? That’s definitely something worth holding on to.

There’s a fine line between breaking through the glass ceiling and shattering it into a million pieces, shards falling all over those trying to chase after you to reach the position you’re in. What you know is that you need to pull out all the stops to become the champion. What you don’t know is that you already have the tools to do it. The time to forget what happened in now defunct companies is over, Nightmare Before Christmas brings a fresh start to both of us where we can leave that past behind and focus on what we can do not just for MCW in general but to Livewire in particular. Our first encounter, you saw me as a washed up veteran while I saw you as a Southern stereotype thanks to the actions of Vincent in making you that way. By our second meeting in that Charged Chamber, we’d both evolved with you becoming a hot new prospect while I proved that I was far from washed up, that I could still do what I’ve been doing for over a decade, winning matches and entertaining fans.

Now, with both of us since that match winning and subsequently losing a championship and being placed in the same contest for the biggest and most prestigious title in MCW, it will truly be something worth taking note of for the future of this company. If somebody like me can find a new lease of life in MCW while somebody like you can find your way and make your move towards the kind of spotlight I’ve held for a number of years then I’d honestly be excited if I were an MCW fan looking forward to the future of this amazing place, the home of true talent.

Talent can’t be mentioned without discussing Priest so here we go. I’ve known for you such a long time that you seem like a part of the furniture now in the most respectful way possible. It started out with me and you meeting for the first time while you was disillusioned with the way things were going after you lost a title, leading to us working together briefly in late 2004 when you jumped over to CWF then subsequently left again. It’s when you returned that things really began to heat up again, remember? You and I, challengers to Faith’s World title in Highway to Hell IV way back in June 2005? Both coming up short when Christian Connolly got the victory and left us empty handed? Yeah, I remember that well, we earned each other’s respect in that match and even if we didn’t get to square off again for almost a year, we knew we had the tools to give the fans one heck of a match when it was able to happen.

That’s the thing though Priest, we did have another match, we had several in fact, most recently in an MCW Legends match around March of this year but it just wasn’t enough was it? Ever since then we seem to have only had the occasional match against one another, our shared dream of trying to see which of the two of us was better after a series of matches between just you and I never happened. Sure, we got to rumble, we got to beat on each other but that isn’t the same is it? That isn’t the same as your demands the night I lost the World title, first to put it on the line against you if I beat Angelica and then storming into my locker room at the end of the night and telling me I’d win that belt back and put it up against you or else.

Or else? Or else what exactly? You’ll destroy me, show me the darkness you you’re your other victims within? Please, I’m not after that, the two of us have rode together for years, we have a respect between each other that nobody else will ever understand and yet you come at me with threats on my soul? So I take it your desire to finally become World Heavyweight champion again means friendship goes out of the window, one of us will have to be left lying in a bloody heap of broken bones, at least as far as you’re concerned. To me though, sure we can fight in one of the most important matches in our lives because the World title is on the line, we get a chance to become top dog in the final match of this year and athleticism and friendship will most likely go out the window in the heat of battle but when all’s said and done, at the end of it I’ll still treat you with respect as the friend I’ve known for years and won’t wanna see you forced into the early retirement you seem to want Jay and I to head into.

One thing I don’t think I quite understand is that the last time we had to stand inside the same ring with the World title on the line and several other opponents as challengers to the belt was in 2005 back in CWF when we battled against four others in the fourth Highway to Hell match. Now, not only are you involved in this fatal four way for the World title with me occupying one of those corners when the match begins, you’ll already be damaged somehow due to you being involved in Highway to Hell V against Vitriol. Ok, so you’ll probably tell everyone that you won’t be hurt, you’ll get that match over with and destroy Vitriol like you thought you did at All Hallow’s Annihilation but you know as well as I do that things won’t happen like that.

No disrespect intended Priest, it’s just that I’ve seen what you can do over the years and I’ve sat back watching what Vitriol can do since his reign of terror began in MCW and I can accurately predict that the two of you will come away from that match damaged, only for him the rest of the night will be time for that masked freak to recuperate, for you though you’ll have to fight off three hungry and well rested athletes of world class calibre. In fact two of us will be even more well rested since Angelica hasn’t had to compete for almost a month since that Tag Team title loss while I had to stand back watching as my opponent last Mayhem was attacked by that no good bastard Malakai Laymon.

Speaking of which, and I’m sorry to Priest and the others here but I need to say this. Malakai, that stunt you pulled at the last Mayhem was uncalled for and if you think it was a great way to send a message to your half brother then great, well done but you did much more than that. You sent a message to MCW, you sent a message to me and like I’ve said before when I helped show your supposed Hostile Takeover to the door in a 6 person tag match, you mess with MCW and you have me to contend with. I may be the laid back, jovial and friendly guy people know me as, always cracking jokes and having fun but I swear to god, if my buttons are pressed just enough, if my patience is constantly tested with sly little jabs and false accusations and threats against me or the company I helped build, the company I love just as much as I loved CWF, then that’s where I’m going to step in and show you the uglier side. The side that can and will tear you limb from limb and scare everybody with just how cruel and sadistic I can be to those who threaten and attack the way you have since you came back looking to snatch Jacob’s power and company from under his feet.

But yeah, that’s why whenever I am holding a title in MCW, I will stand up for this company and since I’ve been drafted over to Livewire and the only person in this match still on Mayhem is you Priest, that means that it’s going to be a hell of a lot of effort to try to win the very belt you’ve craved for so long. I mean, think about this, if either Jay wins or I win, we’ll be taking Mayhem’s main championship over to Livewire. If Angelica retains, she’s going to retire as champion and give it up to whichever Laymon is in charge and most likely a tournament or some other match will take place which will lessen your chances of becoming World champion if you’re matched up against say, Dan Driver or Lethal Weapon. I guess what I’m trying to tell you is that I want to see the Priest I knew back in the day, the evil son of a bitch who didn’t give a damn who or what was in his way. The Priest that took Whitecloud to the limit and went undefeated against him. The Priest who became the only man to defeat Christian Connolly during his World title reign of at least 13 or 14 months and claim the belt for himself. The Priest who then went on a long title reign against the likes of Fuel, John Thomas, X-Factor, unleash whatever hell you want against Vitriol and then bring that side of you into this fatal four way match.

And finally, we come to Angelica Jones. Now, you mentioned me last since you said you respected me most out of all your opponents at Nightmare Before Christmas. I mentioned you last not just out of respect but also because you are the most important in this match, the World champion with all eyes on you. The sole focus of all of our efforts, the one obstacle standing in the way of Jay Williams, Priest and myself gaining that World Heavyweight title. You’d be correct in thinking I may pose the biggest threat to you and your chances of retiring still the champion based on what I’ve done before but then again, maybe you’re wrong? Maybe you’ve got it all figured out but have managed to overlook minute details? You see, as you and everybody else watching Mayhem will know, since the outcome of our match I’ve been on a slump that I still haven’t proven to myself or any of the fans watching at home that I’m out of which is why at Nightmare Before Christmas, I’m going to be going all out to show that I can still do this.

This is sort of like a rebirth for me because when I beat you in early 2008, you had only been in MCW for a few weeks while I got involved in the tournament to pay my respects to a guy who meant everything to me and the MCW family surrounding me, looking to compete in his honour while showing those who only saw me as the General Manager that I am more than just a back room staff member, that what I do is compete at the very best level I can against immensely talented athletes. I’m not gonna go into all the stuff I’ve done as a pro wrestler, all the opponents I’ve beaten because frankly, we’re looking at the end of 2009 and traveling quickly towards a brand new year, a brand new decade so to rely on the past and bring that up would be a waste of breath and a waste of time.

What I will say is that in our first meeting, I beat you, we have each other one hell of a match and I got to move onto the next round of the tournament. Our second meeting, you repaid the favour by showing me just what a great competitor you’ve grown into, taking me to the limit and making me have to admit that on that particular night, you proved to be better than I was. However, how long will that last? I’ve had things brewing on my mind recently that have caused a distraction and cost me matches but your problem is much bigger, much more of a distraction. You promised to only retire once you’d lost all the championships you held but then decided to change your mind, pointing out that no matter what, this will be your final match ever.

Will that really be the case though? I’ve been in the same position before, stepping aside and leaving the business I love so dearly thinking I was done with the industry that I held a love/hate relationship with for years but every time I leave, I get the itch and have to come back. As I said, I spent almost a year as GM and took the opportunity to compete in the Whitecloud Memorial Tournament because I needed to be inside the ring putting my body and my health on the line, I took the position as President of CWF a year before MCW’s formation but still competed because I needed to feel the sweat and the blood pouring down my skin. Sure I lost against Priest in a World title match because what sort of guy would I be having a position of power and holding the main title? I tried that before in 2003 when I held the CWF World title after winning it in the very first Highway to Hell match while also being the General Manager of Monday Night Havok, what happened? I was stripped of the belt and fired almost immediately for abusing my power.

That’s why if I needed to return after taking up a more boardroom role, hanging up the boots after deciding I was done with all of the bullshit that can come with in ring competition, those little announcements of my leaving turned out to be mere vacations to clear my head and find the passion and love for what I do again. That’s the sort of mindset you have to fight off if you’re serious about leaving it all behind to become owner of the Livewire brand. Think about it, on the one hand you could give it your all and use everything you have in your arsenal to try to retain that World title and retire as champion, move on to a new life running Livewire and ordering people like Jay Williams and myself into matches you and Eric Sailes cook up for your show. On the other though, you could be tempted to sit back and half ass the match, allow me to win, allow Jay to win, anything as long as one of your roster members holds Mayhem’s main prize and thus denying Priest his opportunity to head into the new year as the king of his show.

We’ll have to wait and see because who knows, maybe you will retire win or lose, maybe you will give it up and be known more prominently as perhaps the head of the greatest show in MCW history while watching your sister Kayla gain her own legacy in this company? Maybe you’ll suddenly decide that the roar of the fans, the lights raining down upon you while you struggle for breath and feel the sweat drip down your face are too much to give up and that life would feel empty without all of that, even if it meant you have trouble getting up in the morning without feeling intense pain so long as you get to butt heads with some of the most talented wrestlers in the world? Who really knows what might go through your mind, only you will be able to tell but if this truly is your final match, if this is the one where you walk in as champion and walk out freshly retired with nothing but memories and bruises from your last encounter, Angelica? It’ll be a pleasure to be one of your final opponents, especially considering when we first met in the ring, you was the young gun wanting to prove yourself in MCW and I was the staff member, now I’m proving I still have what it takes and you’re on your way to a staff role after a successful in ring career here.

Jay....Priest....Angelica. What excites me about this match is that the World Heavyweight championship is on the line in the final match of the final MCW event of the year but not only that, it’s being contested by four people who have all the talent in the world and who all have a great respect for each other and what each of us have achieved in our careers so far. All four of us have something to prove and while it’s not guaranteed which one of us will walk away as the World champion, one thing is for certain. Each and every one of those fans watching this match will come away amazed and talking about how this could be one of the greatest World title matches in history. Best of luck lady and gentlemen.

He smiles, the Christmas lights reflected in his sunglasses as the line of children behind him continue to move into the Grotto ready to meet Santa and tell them what they want for Christmas. If Dazz had his way, he’d ask for the MCW World Heavyweight championship but throwing caution to the wind and battling to earn it seems so much more fun.

The End