act four: what really matters most
In all my time in the NLCW, I've only been a part of the Pay Per View for matches outside of the tournament itself, never actually stepping foot in the ring for the tournament itself. This will be my first Sultan experience, funnily enough... and this so-called "NLCW Veteran" will return as a rookie to that ring out there, if only because of his inexperience with the tournament's setting. I look at that tournament and I realize just how important it is for so many of these newer NLCW competitors... just how much it would mean for them if they could get that victory off in the end.
Stacy Jones, Carmine Vestieri, Ryan Coleman. Three names opposing my own in this thing, and each person behind the name eager and hungry for the promise a victory gives in this thing. Of the three, only one have I ever stepped foot in the ring against... and it appears that she will be my first opponent of the night, no less.
Stacy Jones, the fiery diva of the NLCW with a reputation for never going easy on anyone, always taking her matches as seriously as possible no matter the skills or gender of her opponent. This is a woman who'd make Frank Merritt second-guess stepping into the ring with her, and with good reason.
In our first match together, Stacy pushed me hard and delivered a performance I don't think anyone was expecting out of her. I knew, though... if I'm being honest. In all my career, I try my damndest to give my opponents the respect they've earned along the way, and going into that match.. I knew there was a reason management was pitting her against me. She was going to be a challenge, she was going to be unexpected in the ring, and she was going to give it her all against a person known for doing exactly the same thing.
It would be the collision of two powerful forces, and the fans wanted to know how well she could stand up against the storyteller of the NLCW and, in the end, she did a hell of a job. It took a lot to keep her down in the end, but I'd managed to do it after quite a bit of work.
I respect Stacy Jones for her abilities, but come Sultan, respect will mean nothing to her, or me.
Carmine Vestieri, the newcomer to the NLCW come fresh out of December. Here's a man who, in his short stay, has captured the attention of the audience and has earned his place in this tournament. He's gone through different federations, he's earned his rank in each of them and, ultimately, he's done all he could to just work his ass off and get what he's fought for in the end. A man who isn't about to allow a single loss to slow him down-- hell, a man who looks at losses as few and far between.
I've no experience against him, nothing really to go on when looking back through his tapes to try and study his style. I've a few matches from the NLCW and other than that... well, obtaining tapes from other federations has proven to be a bit difficult. Still, for what little there is for me to read on the guy, it's more than enough: he is fierce in the ring. Never backing down, never letting up on his offense... he is a determined man when it comes to victory, and rarely will he let it slip from his grasp.
If there was a wildcard in this tournament for me, if there was one person I'd say could throw any plans I have out of a loop and leave me wondering what to do next... it's Carmine Vestieri. So, for him... I'll have to do more than just expect the unexpected. Be it studying his style to trying to interpret any tells he may have in the ring... I have to go out of my way to understand this man if I hope to get through this thing without risking failure.
For his tenacity, for his determination, and for his will to succeed... I respect Carmine Vestieri, but come Sultan, respect will mean nothing to him, or me.
Ryan Coleman. Where... where can I begin, really? Here's a true veteran, a man who's been around the NLCW for much longer than I and a man who has seen so much of what there is to see around here. He has been around for so many years and has, along the way, worked with many teams and factions, and has watched so many others come to oppose his own. Even today, Ryan fights as a team alongside of Paul York, a man who at one time stood opposed to him in the ring. In many ways, Ryan recognizes the importance of having an ally in a place like this, where so many people are willing to do whatever it takes to make it to the top of the food chain... but, even with that being said, he's still a competent and powerful wrestler as an individual.
For Ryan, there is no mystery. The tapes are easy to obtain and watch over, the tapes spell out everything about who he is in the ring, from his preferences to his fighting style to any little quirks he has along the way. Unlike Carmine, who has so little to go on, Ryan has a virtual library of information on him available to anyone who needs to study up on the man. In many ways, this should make my endeavor easier should I have to face him... but there's always variables to consider.
Ryan has been around long enough to know when he's being studied before a match. He's been around long enough to know that there are certain things he does in the ring that some people might come to expect and, undoubtedly, he'll be able and willing to change up his game in order to throw someone off. It's not about just studying the man and trying to adapt to his style, it's about understanding him, and trying to determine what he'd do in the ring should his normal methods be failing him. And, to be truthful, each of the three are capable of this... they're all talented enough to change things up when their normal styles have become predictable. Any one of them is going to be a difficult encounter.
His experience is extensive and his talent is undeniable, and for that I respect Ryan Coleman, but come Sultan, respect will mean nothing to him, or me.
Three people are coming to Sultan alongside of me, looking at the same prize as I am. For those three, this is a chance for them to accomplish something they've never accomplished in their careers before. This is the chance for them to overcome the barriers that have been stopping them in their climb up the ladder, and to finally make their names recognized on a grand scale among the NLCW. For them, this is their everything, and is undeniably important to their success.
For me... it's just another accomplishment I've yet to attain. It's something that would be great, but not necessary, for me to hold. For me, after having gone through the NLCW once before, I've realized that more than anything else, it's the experiences I have here that matter over the positions I gain. Making a name for myself is important, and it's what I did the first time I was here... but now, it's time for me to cement that name, and make sure that these people who chant for me week-in and week-out will still remember me years down the line, when I really am ready to throw in the towel.
So, yes, Sultan of the Squared Circle would be an amazing thing for me to find victory in, but should I find defeat in the process of one hell of a match... then so be it.
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... of course, that being said, it won't be happening.