Karl Brown vs. John Doe

[JABolich]

Karl Brown vs. John Doe

Both of these men have undergone some changes as of late, John Doe discovering more of himself and Karl Brown letting his vicious side run free, going on an absolute tear. Can Doe carry the momentum of his win over Adam Benjamin and defeat Brown, or will the Dragon's violent streak continue?

 

[EpyonMarx]

[FADE IN. The day after Aggression, and “The Dragon” is back in training. A local indie wrestler is serving as his sparring partner, and he’s taking a lot of punishment, as Brown lays into him with stiff kicks; a half-turning kick to the hamstring, a front kick to the midsection, a spinning heel kick to the ribs, and a side kick straight into the poor sparring partners face. All are executed to a high standard, Karl stepping back into a proper fighting stance, before measuring his opponent. Slow to stand, the opponent crawls instead to the ropes, Brown following him, locking him in a waistlock from behind and hitting a rolling German suplex. Brown then grabs the poor foes legs, locking in a scorpion deathlock, pulling back. Using one arm to hold his opponents legs, Karl bends back, using his free arm to grab the guys chin, pulling back to add more pressure as the tap out quickly follows. Brown lets him drop to the mat in pain, before sliding out of the ring to greet the camera]

Karl: That there is the problem. No-one seems capable of giving me a good workout. Nothing taken away from your win, Troy; you won fairly in the ring and had your dream snatched in the process. You got your high and then your low, another adversity for you to bounce back from.

But it’s no longer about Troy Douglas, is it? It’s me and his protégé, John Doe. A man who, like me, is finding himself. Isn’t that right, Issac? You want to find yourself, who you are, what you are.

But are you ready for what that information holds?

[Brown walks over towards a bench, taking a white towel and draping it across his shoulders, as he sips some water from a bottle]

Karl: You know yourself only as John Doe, coming out of Black Water and wrestling. I watched you in the NWL when we were both there; you had talent. Troy’s seen that in you, and taken you under his wing until you learn who you are. But something tells me you aren’t prepared for what the reality that awaits you. The truth of who you are is rooted in wrestling, that much you know, but…

What you have been is very different from what you are. Remember, Doe, and this is the only time I’m going to say this; you are John Doe. You are no longer “Issac.” In effect, Issac is dead and he isn’t, nor should he, come back; think of it this way, do you want to cease to exist as John Doe? Do you want to run the risk of finding out too much about yourself for your mind to handle?

Look at me, John. Look at what’s been awakened in me; I’ve gained a lot from going through my own personal struggle, getting out of the shadows and awakening the final piece of the puzzle; but at the same time I’ve done things that until recently I would never have done, things that would have sickened me before. My conscience, if I still had it, would be hurting for putting one kid in the hospital, walking out of a number one contenders match, taking pleasure in nearly breaking Hiroshi’s neck… I’ve had some people tell me I’ve lost the plot completely. That rotten piece of baggage, Shinji, called me and told me so himself. That’s the good thing about finding myself, releasing myself from what I was. For you, finding out who you were will conflict with who you are. Which do you want to be, Issac or John Doe? Sometimes we’re better off not knowing who we were.

[Karl takes another sip of his water, before moving back into the ring, stretching on the ropes as another local wrestler readies himself. Karl leans out over the ropes to continue talking to the camera]

Karl: John, I hope you remember to train hard with Troy for the upcoming match. I’d hate to have put all these people in the hospital without facing a tough enough challenge at the end; no matter who you are, I doubt you’re that cold. Bring your best at Wrestleverse. Give it your best shot, and keep chugging away; you’ll find whatever answers you seek soon enough.

[Karl gives a little wink to the camera, then moves into the centre of the ring. The camera FADES OUT as we see Brown slipping behind into a hammerlock, his opponent screaming in pain]

 

[John Doe]

A Clear Mind

FADEIN…. John Doe standing outside, New York City. He sits in Central Park, looking upon a pond, his mind clear, he takes a drag from a Marlboro No. 27. John smirks as he holds a small video phone, camera’s catch what the cell is playing, Karl Browns finisher The Dragon's Bite

Doe:

“I have watched this tape for hours, the stream in beaded in my head. I can not believe what my eyes are seeing, a man being put through a move that can end him,. This simple move can end a career, I am watching this to stop that from happening to me. I am training Karl, I am doing everything I can to be prepared for you.”

“Now, you may think that I am dead, that whatever holds deep inside of me has ended, but I beg to differ, I believe I am going to find myself, I am going to find Isaac, and I will find out my past. With Troy’s help I have accomplished everything, from simple endurance to defeating Adam Benjamin. I believe that I am prepared for you Karl.”

“In the end I think you will understand where I am coming from, the nightmare is going to be shown for you in a simple 30 minutes. But hell no matter how hard I train no matter what I do to perfect myself you never know what can happen in the that ring.”

“Karl, I am not going into this match unprepared, I am practicing, I have you scouted, you my friend are not just going up against a man that does not know what you can do in the ring, I know what your moves are, I have learned my reversals. Troy is helping me, he is teaching me The Path. I plan on showing everyone that if my teacher defeated you so can the student.”

“I am going to Wrestleverse with a goal Karl, I am going to there to prove what I am able to do, why EPW is still writing my checks, why I am the best. We have all seen how good you are, I know how good you are, and the fear is eating at me. That’s why I took the time to come to this park Karl. Central Park New York is relaxing, it clears your mind, 5 miles by 2 miles is a good run, Troy has made me run it before. Now let me tell you something about this park.”

“See, in this pond there are ducks, now the question is where do the ducks go when ti gets cold, the pond freezes, and the ducks leave down south. Correct? Karl I am that cold front, you are that pond, I am stopping you r winning streak and the ducks are your victories going way, only to come back when you improve your self.”

“I know what you have done in EPW, I have seen your aggression unleashed, I am prepared to suffer what you have to dish out Karl. But the fact is simple, if you can’t handle the heat…stay out the kitchen. That is all I want you to understand Karl.”

“I have the risk of finding out to much about my past, the past is the future if you think about it. I am prepared for what lies ahead of me, but the question is Karl are you prepared for your future, the future of loss. I am prepared to give you that future. I am going to make that future for you. I see what has been awakened in you Karl, a monster, a man that has set his eye on a goal is set to achieve it. And that is great Karl, I am happy you have that goal in you, that shine in your eye, but what has been awakened will be put back to sleep, what you have achieved will be ended, and I will show you exactly what a true awaking is.”

“Karl I know who I want to be, I want to be like other stars, people hear the name Beast they say “Beast! EPW World Champion!” or they hear Karl Brown “Oh The Dragon! He is pretty damn good!” but when John Doe hits the conversation…”John Doe…oh yeah the amnesiac…” I am sick of it Karl, but at Wrestleverse that will all change, it will no longer be John Doe the amnesiac, people will recognize me as John Doe The man that defeated Karl Brown, the man who defeated Adam Benjamin. I will have that on my shoulder, that will always remain on my side.”

"The event is going to be simple...Wrestleverse, the outcome unclear, but I will promise you this Karl, whatever does happen in that ring happend for a reason, have a priest throw a blessing down upon you. I am going to show you what an unforgiving God will do to a man."

"It is unaviodable, this match is going to happen, I am not going to run, I am going to stand toe to toe with the best and I will defeat the best. Mainly you Karl."

“The time for me to truly show my self is on it’s path Karl, you just hope you are prepared for the impact. I am going to show you who I am, weather it be John Doe, or Isaac, whomever it is I will show you what Troy has taught me, and that is going to be yet another learning experience for you.”

“Karl I will bring my A-Game, I just hope you are prepared to take it.”

“See you at the end of the road”

“I Am Greatness…I Am God…I Am John Doe”

FADE OUT…

 

[EpyonMarx]

preparing for flight

[FADE IN. A gym, the lights on low. Only one man is still in the gym, using the cross country ski machine in the corner. His arms and legs move in perfect sync, as the camera pans round, zooming in to reveal “The Dragon,” sweat gleaming on his shoulders, dripping from his nose and chin. He keeps training, his breathing heavy as he talks]

Karl: Knowing how to counter and countering are two different things entirely, John. Never forget that. Not even Maelstrom could always keep away from the Dragon’s Bite, and he’s rated quite rightly as one of the best this industry has ever seen… I came within mere seconds of adding his scalp to my collection in NWL. On the same card you lost to Cameron Love as I recall.

And look where we’ve both come to now. You hoping to step up the ladder, me looking to propel myself back up there. But ask yourself this; are you truly ready, are you really prepared? Are you prepared for someone who doesn’t know exactly what he’s going to do?

You see, John, you’ve seen a very small collection of what I can do. My best matches, Mayhem Mountain against Benjamin, my matches with Sands, my matches in the WLS over in NWL, none of them show every move. All of them combined don’t show anywhere near enough for you to be ready for them all; the little variations I use every single time I use a move… how do you prepare for those, when even I don’t know how I’m going to do them? Either you gained the ability to see the future when you lost your memory, or you can’t be prepared.

It’s very simple, isn’t it? A simple fact that Troy’s probably drilled into you time and again since taking you under his wing. At least he should have been, because he knows first hand what the differences can be. But I digress.

Troy may have beaten me twice now, but seriously, John… you should know that the chances of you beating me are slim. And don’t think that because you beat Benjamin you’ll beat me either; he may have beaten me twice himself, but look at The Watcher; he beat Maelstrom, lost to Dakota Smith and myself. Dakota beat me and lost to Maelstrom, who drew with me and then beat me. One win over one man doesn’t give you a guarantee, or anything close. You see, John, there’s a reason I’ve been pushing the main event since my debut in MCW last October; that reason is very simple. I don’t believe that I’m going to win, and I know full well that I’ll lose some, but I always give it my best shot on the night. Sometimes, like against Maelstrom, I get an added sense of occasion and surpass myself.

And now I’ve added a new level of aggression and willingness to succeed, I’m that bit more dangerous.

But you asked where the ducks go? They do indeed fly south. But the ring isn’t a pond, John. It’s canvas. And you’re a man, bone, flesh and blood like I am. And those bones can be broken, that flesh torn and that blood spilt. With surprising ease if you think about it. I saw you on that kickbag, Doe. You’re good. Almost a black belt level. But there’s a difference between, say, a first kup and a first dan, the red-belt-black-tag and the black-belt. Your technique has that little hint, the smallest trace of imperfection about it; barely noticeable, but to a black-belt like myself it’s enough. Your kicking game won’t serve you well enough, John.

What? You thought I was just a wrestler? I’ve got thirteen years training in taekwondo as well. Remember, on the half turning kick, you want to rise a little bit higher on your support leg; aim for the floating ribs, it hurts more.

[Karl reaches out with one hand, turning a dial on the control panel clockwise, slowing slightly in his motions as the added resistance kicks in]

Karl: John, you, like others before you, have this misconception that God is something that matters to me. It doesn’t. A priest isn’t going to save me because, quite simply, I believe in my own abilities and nothing else. Though if you want to find a man in a robe and get him to bless you and forgive your trespasses, then by all means go ahead. But that man will not help you to put to sleep the Dragon within me. Now it’s been released, it’s getting stronger. Slowly but surely, the dragon’s spreading it’s wings, readying itself to take full flight. It’s been argued that dragons fed on bone and calcium. You look like good enough for this awakened fire breather to snack upon before he flies on to bigger and brighter things.

Whatever you have to bring, bring it. It may be enough to save your career. After this match, people will stop saying “Oh, John Doe, he’s that amnesiac isn’t he?” and will start saying “John Doe… isn’t he that guy who got his ass handed to him by Sands, beat Benjamin, then got taken out by ‘The Dragon’? He had potential, didn’t he?”

I’m not the best yet, Doe. But I will be. And then it will be your honour to appear as a name on the ever growing list of my victims.

[Another voice cuts in from out of shot; it’s the owner of the gym]

Voice: Karl, give it a rest will ya? You’ve been at that damn CV work fer eight hours straight.

Karl: Gimme another hour and I’ll be done here. That should be a good enough endurance warm up.

Voice: Crazy. Whatever, just turn the lights out when you go.

[Karl turns the dial again as we hear the gym door close. FADE OUT]

 

[John Doe]

Like a Catcher in the Rye

Hatebreed: I will Be Heard

Now is the time for me to rise to my feet
Wipe your spit from my face
Wipe these tears from my eyes [x2]

[Now is the time:]
I've got to take my life back
One chance to make it right
I've gotta have my voice be heard
And bring meaning to this life
Cause I've trusted for nothing
I've been led astray
I've been tried and tested
But I won't accept defeat
Now I've done things I regret
And its time to reverse the rules
I just want to make good on all the promises that I have made

I will be
I will be heard
I will be heard

Now is the time...

Through the worst we prevail
So our voices will be heard
Through the worst we prevail
So our voices will be heard

Now is the time... [x2]

I've got to take my life back...

I will be
I will be heard
I will be heard [x2]

FADEIN...]John Doe is doing pushups, Troy Douglas is standing in front of him. John’s face is running with sweat, push up, after push up he goes, his breath getting shorter as he gasps for air. John’s arms shake as he is about to make his back not straight. John pumps one more out.

Douglas: 99.…COME ON John! One more, you want to beat Brown? You think he is going to let you stroll right on in and pin him…push it!

John lets out a growl and pumps out another push up as he collapses on the wooden floor. John breaths heavy as he sucks in air.

Douglas: Yeah…that’s right John, you’re doing good, take in that air, take it in.

John sits up. John knows what is about to happen….a lecture.

Douglas: Every time you step in that ring, you have to be smart, every second counts, every move has to be perfect. These are the ways of the path. See it is not your mind controlling your actions, it comes without thinking, you have to let your mind flow, let reactions do it for them selves. You must think 4 or 5 moves ahead of The Dragon.

Doe: So, I should think about the moves I make?

Douglas: Kind of, Brown is a outstanding wrestler, he knows what to do in the ring, he is a professional. You need to perfect your skills to be able to defeat Brown.

Doe: And this is where The Path will help me?

Douglas: Yes, see aggression is a way of the path, everything that bugs you must steamroll in you it must control you.

Doe: Have you ever been scared in the ring Troy? Like feared the match?

Douglas: Every time, see fear is a part of The Path, it is like this fire that burns deep inside you, if you control it you can destroy.

Doe: Like how I did with Benjamin?

Douglas: Exactly! Perfect example of how you controlled your fear. See Adam took you light hearted, thought you were a chump. But look what you did, look what we did.

Doe: Now I have to prove it to Brown also.

Douglas: Damn right, I am going to head out, ‘k kid?

Doe: See you Troy.

John gets up and sits on a chair. John grabs his gym bag that lies under it. He opens the black duffle and pulls out a book. “Catcher in the Rye” By J. D. Salinger.

DOE:

“You know what, Troy was right about this book, it does show a lot about everything in this world. About how people operate and how people truly are. See like Troy and I, I am like Holden and Troy is like….Mr. Antolini! Perfect example, I look up to Troy, and troy teaches me everything I need to know, everything I do wrong and how to change it.”

“Here let me quote something from this book for you Karl”

“Life is a game, boy. Life is a game that one plays according to the rules."

“That was Mr. Spencer in chapter 2. This quote is ironic since Holden never believes that life is a game. In fact, he believes the opposite— he is deathly serious about life, and he doesn’t accept the rules set before him by phony adults.”

“See, this is all true rules are just set to keep us that are not fake inline, to make us puppets like everyone else. I can accept that, it is impossible to accept. See, Life is a game, you just have to know how to play it. With Benji I played that out good, I showed the world how good I was, not to brag. But I know you have defeated him. And I know you are good Brown.”

“But wait…Adam Benjamin thought he was good, he believed down deep in him he was able to defeat me, and I proved him wrong, that I was the better man. I mean it was a shock to me, and I have to admit I wasn’t thinking when I rolled him up. But that’s what Troy taught me, he taught me to be agile and to prepare for those things, and I picked up the win. Now I stand forth to defeat you, now I am going to step toe to toe with you Karl.”

“But the time will come, yes it will. We will all find out who is better, and who has perfected their style of wrestling. I will ensure you that I am not going to show up unprepared Karl. I have watches you on film, I watches your match with Troy, and he defeated you. He pinned you one…two…three.”

“What do you expect from me Karl. I train next to him, I am learning from the man that defeated you Karl. You have made many strides in your life, you have proving yourself time and time again, braking records, winning titles, being the best.”

“You are a living legend Karl. If you say Karl Brown in any locker room wrestlers have heard of you. But now Karl…now is the time when men hear Karl Brown they will always remember…Karl Brown the man that was defeated by John Doe. John Doe the man that was trained by Troy Douglas….and Troy Douglas the new EPW World Champion.”

“That is the way things will be Karl, that’s is the way they will always be. Now I will show you what I have learned, what Troy has taught me. Aggression is going to reiterate itself for you Karl, and I am going to be that man to do that.”

“Just prepare for the match Karl, because I am. I am watching your moves, watching the mistakes you make in the ring, and I am prepared for you, I am pushing my body, I am set to destroy, and by God you better hope that our match is not a blood feast. Every minute maybe your last, and I am going to be the man to provide that for you. Set up your 401K plan as we speak Karl, retirement is coming early.”

“But you do whatever you can Karl, you keep that anger, I want you to be angry, I want you to come in that ring wanting to rip my head off, only makes the challenge harder. Only makes me better.”

“I am good Karl, I am the best, I have proving it, and I will prove it again. Adam Benjamin thinks what I performed in the ring was nothing, that I am nothing, but Karl, I warn you that you are going to go against one of the toughest matches of your career. That’s no threat Karl….that is a promise.”

“Let your anger take you over, let it subdue you. Let that anger consume you, it will make you agile, powerful, like me. I am powerful, I am quick, ask Adam Benjamin, I defeated him, he knows what I can do.”

“I never surrender Karl, I never give up, Benjamin was beating me to a bloody pulp, and I didn’t stop fighting, that is what you are going against at Wrestle verse a never ending machine. A man that will not quit, that is what Troy Douglas taught me, and you will witness it.”

“I am going to show the world that I can do it all, that EPW has hired the best, Karl Brown at Wrestleverse I John Doe am going to give you a first hand look at what destruction looks like, hell will never seemed any closer than at Wrestleverse.”

“I am not going in to this match as a wrestler, this is not going to be a wrestling match Karl, this is going to be hand to hand combat, this is going to be a war. I have lost many battles Karl, I can count them, this match will show that I am a fighter, that this war that I fight with myself and others is coming to an end, this may yet be the last battle. I am going to prove I am the strongest.”

“But Karl, I do understand the chances of beating you are slim, they are of that, slim to non, but faith has always taken chances and turn them the right way. Many have failed at your feet Karl, I understand that, but I plan on rising above you, showing you that I can rise above you proving that I am better.”

“And I will agree with you Karl, you are more deadly, more dangerous, you are a a man that has proving himself over and over, match after match you show your potential in the ring. I plan on doing the same Karl, I am going to prove myself again, once more I plan on proving myself to the mass of people, my name rising above yours. I want a win again, I want to prove to everyone that I am not a hit or miss wrestler, that every night I can hit my target, I can hit my goal”

“If I can last the whole time in the ring with you Karl, if I can prove my worthiness then I have succeeded, if I can defeat you then I have completed my goal. I plan on proving that I am better, until the last drop of blood exits my body I will not fall. I will rise again, I will stand once more.”

“I will preserve above you Karl, I will show forth a new John Doe, a new man, a man that is prepared to fight for what he wants. I want a win Karl, and I am going to fight for that win. I am going to show you that I am not just anyone, that I am John Do………that I am God.”

“Hell, I am going to have fear on my side, and I am going to control that fear, I am going to get hold of that fire and I am going to show how bad it can burn. I will show you what John Doe can really do in the ring. Benji said what I did at Aggression was a fluke. But Karl, at Wrestleverse it will not be a fluke, I will make it crystal clear that I am that good. You are just so happen to be that man that will have to witness that.”

“At Wrestleverse John Doe is going to slay the dragon.”

“See you at the end of the road Karl.”

“I Am Greatness…I Am God…I Am John Doe”

FADE OUT

 

[PaulNJ21]

FADEIN…The scene opens up on the set of Wrestleverse. "St. Anger" by Metallica playing quietly over the P.A. system, and John Doe. steps out from the back. John makes his way down to the ring smiling as workers put the ring barriers up. He gets into the ring, and hits in the middle of the canvass and then begins to speak.

“Silence has always put a man like me over the edge. I hate silence, it literally makes me think of my days back in Black Water. Those twisted nights when guards pinned you down and inject you with stuff. Those days where the worst. Silence was never a big thing to me. So I decided to come on down and break that silence Karl.”

“This match has consumed my mind Karl, the thoughts of winning, what that will do to my career, and also what if I lost. They are both options that can happen. I plan on the win Karl, I plan on defeating you.”

“But hell if you were to defeat me Karl I will respect that, I respect you Karl, you are established in this profession. But, just cause I respect you does not mean I am just going to lower myself to allow you to win Karl. I will never do that, not even for Troy Douglas himself.”

“It it was nothing that I learned from Troy, it was never to be intimated, and I am no. It was also never give up, which I haven’t, I am staying to my guns all the way Karl, I plan on sticking toe to toe with you every second of that match. I will not fail in my pursuit for the win”

"the win is something that comes with time and effort, I have put in every once of energy for that, effort has become my partner. It sits on my shoulder pressing me to continue my efforts. I will succeed on winnign Karl, I will show you I am better"

“You know, I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, and I realized something. I'm not who I was at the beginning of my voyage here in the Empire. Before it was me versus the world, and my go get it attitude, but now it's different. Now I feel like I'm the best at EPW, and that's because of the win over Adam Benjamin. I use it as my safety blanket, but that's not what it's for. It's to show that I am improving, that the training I went through was not for nothing. And to top it all off, to defeat Adam Benjamin is something not done on a regular bases in our business. Well, that's not the case. Just because I have this win, doesn't mean that I can automatically defeat Karl Brown. It's the fight that I have within me. It's what got me to where I am is what I can use to elevate my career even further.”

“See, I would do anything to win. I would beat my opponent senseless, no matter who it is, even if it was dearest friends, I wouldn't hold back. I'd go all out to get noticed by the owners, and get the glory that I deserved. See, I got this match by defeating so many other people, and I'll be damned if Karl was to prove the world that what I did on Aggression to Benjamin was truly a fluke. This is my first time stepping in the ring with a man like Karl Brown, and it sure as hell won't be the last. I don't want to be remembered as a one hit wonder, I'm going to give Karl the fight of his life. He's going to finally get to see what I'm really capable of doing. The first encounter with him at Wrestleverse will be nothing compared to what I did to Benjamin. I'm smarter than I was a few months ago, and I'm going to sure as hell prove it to him, and every single person in that arena will be my witness.”

“I also realized that I've become a little cocky, and that's going to change right now. See, I've never beating Karl, and that doesn't automatically mean that I can do. It's the fact that I have to the will to want to win. And I consider Karl one of the greatest of competitors in EPW. See, it's time for me as wrestler to put EPW on the map, and it all starts with this match against Karl. Then a long road is ahead of me, with challengers that I'll have to push out of my way. And then from there on out I'll be the greatest in EPW, or even of the business, has ever seen. Don’t get me wrong I am no Maelstrom, I am no Sean Edmunds, and I am not Karl Brown, but when I defeat you Karl my name will be right next to yours, possibly above it.”

“See, to live is to die pretty much. And now you all might be wondering why I'm talking about that. It's quite simple. You get one chance to live. It's not like once this time it's over, you get to start again. No. So I got to make the most of what I have now, and make sure that I can hold it as long as possible. I don't want to leave this place with any regrets at all. I don't want to die with any regrets either. I want to drop to my knees in defeat to someone that is more interested in the state of EPW, than just themselves like Karl is. I don't see him fit to be the man that I suffer a defeat to. Sure he put his time in, but he's only out for himself. And I don't want EPW to end up in his era.

"This is still my time, and I'm out to show you all that it's still my time to shine. I am going to be one of the greats of this country, and not Karl Brown, not Christian Sands, no one is going to stop me from doing it! This is my match, and I plan to make it worth every single second of my time, I will win. And like I said, nothing is going to stop me from doing so. I plan to lead myself into battle, and defend my honor, the honor of EPW, and the honor of all of those who believe in me, and give me the privilege to hear everyone cheer for me. EPW is going to become a dynasty, and the reason is going to be simple. A solid wrestler like myself is going to put EPW on the map, and turn everyone's view from EPW being the minor leagues, to EPW being the major league.”

“Karl, you can sit there and sing your woes about how no one ever played with you. It doesn't matter to me at all. I lost my mother when I was young, but now I don't use that as an excuse to fuel my passion to want to be the greatest. Sure, I do want to make her proud that I grew up right, but that's all said and done. And now this is my time, and at Wrestleverse, Karl you are going to get annihilated. I'll show you how the clock works. I'll see you soon Karl. Be ready for the biggest fight of your life.”

John looks at the canvass and pulls out Catcher in the Rye from his pocket and begins reading it.

FADE OUT

 

[EpyonMarx]

[FADE IN. “The Dragon” is using a non-impact stepper, still hard in training. He’s dressed in a white t-shirt and blue rugby shorts, with black and white training shoes on]

Karl: You know, John, I don’t think you’re ready for this match. Sure, Troy’s training you, but it’s your mouth that seems to be getting the most exercise. I know repetitions are supposed to be good for you, but in this case your exercise programme seems to be utterly flawed.

For those of you at home who’ve missed not been keeping up to date, here’s a summary of each of the tapes Does’ put together for this match.

Doe saying he’s going to win and that he’s not a fluke, he is JOHN DOE!! Oh, and he thinks I’ve held a title. But that’s beside the point.

John, give it a rest. No-one besides you is buying into it. I can see it in your eyes and hear it in your words; you don’t have what it takes at this point in time. Maybe in a few months, but right now, this rookie, a man who’s been doing this less than a year on the pro circuit, is still better. But, for the sake of argument, I’ll humour you.

Suppose you were to win, what then? It would put your name on a par with mine, or above? Sorry, John. I beat Christian Sands, and my names nowhere the level his is. I beat Troy Douglas, I beat Lars Magellan and The Watcher, but my names not on those levels. One win, no matter how emphatic and how unseen, doesn’t lift your name. Neither does a win over Benji followed by a win over me, because people will still see you as merely “John Doe” the wrestler, not John Doe the potential champion.

Now, may I address some misconceptions? One, I’ve never held a title; been close three times, twice for world titles and once for the EPW IC strap, but never held one.

Two; lose the “I’m in it to stop people like you ruining the company” spiel. I’m here to collect my pay cheques and win my matches. Like I’ve always said the crowd can cheer me, or they can jeer me, I don’t care. They may for now cheer someone like you who claims to be in it to put EPW on the map, but in all honesty, how long are those cheers going to last? A few months? Then they’ll see that you couldn’t do it. You alone couldn’t put Empire Pro into the spot it deserves, the top spot. No one man can accomplish that, and to even suggest that you can is to spit on the work and dedication every single person here puts in. This company is a team effort; Dan Ryan’s money, Paul Freeman’s judgment, and the locker room’s sweat and blood. Are you trying to claim that you’re above me? Above Sands? Above Melton, Cruise, Marx? How about Benjamin? Or even Beast? Didn’t it occur to you that if you did single-handedly push EPW to the top, that you’d be the only person doing anything, and your quest would end up a miserable failure?

Or are you just trying to stop the terrible silence which is no big thing for you?

Words for the sake of words are meaningless. It was Roland Barthes and the post-modernist movement who have excelled at showing that in literature the author is dead. What that means is, the words on the page, or the screen, or the stage, or in a pro-wrestling promo, are meaningless until someone reads or hears them. The author isn’t important, John. Like your words. To me your words are about as useful as my knowledge on heterotopia is to a chemistry professor.

But, John, since you like words so much, here are some which are regarded as very powerful. Why, I, in this weak piping time of peace have no delight to pass away the time. And therefore, since I cannot prove to be a lover and entertain these fair well-spoken days, I am determined to prove a villain, and hate the idle pleasures of these days. Shakespeare, King Richard the Third, Act one, scene one, lines twenty four, twenty five, and twenty eight to thirty one inclusive.

Take those words, John; what do they mean to you? Perhaps that the speaker, in this case myself, has nothing better to do than go around hurting people? Or maybe you still think it’s Richard, deformed and shunned, who’s grown bitter to peace where his military intelligence serves him nothing, and is determined to stir up trouble?

Two very different views, John. And all from the same few words. So, just because you say the same thing as most others, it doesn’t mean that it’s the gospel. Trotsky was right, though; if you tell someone a lie often enough they start to believe it; I don’t think he meant if you tell the lie to yourself you start to believe it, but in your case I’m sure he’d make an exception.

Say you “will” win all you want, John. Until it happens it’s not a thought worth entertaining. And if I lose, meh, I’ve lost before and it’s not important to me, I couldn’t care less win or lose. It means that when I do lose I take no notice of it. It’s something to learn from but not brood over; you’re building yourself up to a dangerous level, John, one many reach; Rocko Daymon reached it, I reached it… and when you build yourself up and fail, it hurts. It also makes you realise that you were wrong, and in your case I can see it’s going to hurt that much more. Especially with your self-deification.

Train all you want, watch all the tapes. You’ll know even less about me than you already do. Those tapes are meaningless to you, John. Do you honestly think I’m going to be stupid enough to not alter my style for each and every opponent? No two opponents are the same. Heck, not even two matches against the same opponent are the same; there are moves and counters, little changes which make each new scenario unique. If you go in with the preconceptions that you can counter my moves when you haven’t felt them coming from me in that very match then you haven’t got a chance.

You may think you’re “powerful” and “quick,” or that I’m going to use some sort of “anger” to push myself harder. The facts are that my “anger” has only been released; it’s always been there. And you’re no more powerful or quicker than ever before. Your skills have, slowly, improved. Your technique is becoming increasingly crisp and you’re thinking a little bit more; but you’re by no means “powerful” and “quick.” As for being a never ending machine… never is a long time, friend.

Your goal is to win, John. My goal is simply to go to the ring and, the same as always, go above and beyond my own abilities. If I manage to put you out of commission, then it’s that much better, and a win will be icing on the cake.

Just remember John, as you stroll though this little heaven where you’re going to be the best, you’re going to beat everyone and single-handedly, in a blaze of self-deification, put a company on the map, that your heaven is a lie.

[Karl keeps working out on the stepper. FADE OUT]

 

[John Doe]

I Am Your God Now

"I Am Your God Now" By Machine Head

So pain told you to take her
Well I learned to accept that feeling
'Cause I found how to numb it
If only for just a short while
I'd get so high I'd forget my name
I scarred my fists, I scarred my brain
I think that I'm going insane
I think that I'm going insane

So drink up, so shoot in
Why must this feeling end
I crawled in my narcotic shell
Was crucified in my own hell
A gutter's where I found myself
Among the waste I chose to dwell
I chose to dwell

So now I'm in your system
And I'm what helps you numb your pain
Whit time you will confide in me
So lonely my friend, I've made you lose control
You'll use me more and more with time
Our friendship grows with each mainline
So glad that you could be so blind
So glad that you could be so blind

So drink up, so shoot in
'Cause I'll make this feeling end
I built you this narcotic shell
I crucified you in your hell
Your life not yours, you're just my slave
I am your messiah of pain
And time has come to
Time has come to, time has come to
There's no time to pray

'Cause I'm your God now (X6)

FADEIN…."I Am Your God Now" By Machine Head plays lightly in the background. John Doe is sitting in the locker room, he is tying up his boots as he sighs lightly. John looks up as he puts on a EPW Wrestleverse t-shirt. John looks up at the camera then looks back down at his boots.

DOE:

“Honestly, I think this is just going back and forth, on and on. It’s endless, talking to Karl is like talking to brick wall. Nothing gets through his thick skull. So I thought hell, why not address EPW, why not address you the viewers. Honestly it must get boring watching to guys talk to each other that never see each other until the night of the fight. So I though I would come and talk to you…the fans…the staff…and anyone within an earshot of me.”

“Now, Karl, thinks I am in this high heaven, this place where I am the best. And I would like to say that is not true people. I mean I have suffered defeat, I have strolled into matches where I have lost. And this is no heaven. Because Karl has accomplished so much in his life, makes me want to push harder, it’s like my fuel to the fire.”

“Two opponents may not be the same, Karl is correct no one is the same. Hell Troy is having a hard time trying to teach me some of his moves just because my style is different from his. But let me say this. Just cause Karl changes his style doesn’t mean he changes the moves…better safe then sorry.”

‘But this is a time for me to talk to you. Not to Karl Brown. See at Wrestleverse you are not going to see a normal match, you are not going to see two men go at it fairly. Honestly my patience for Karl Brown has broke it’s last string. And to tell you eh truth, I just want to break his face in. but I am not here to talk crap I am not here to state a lie, because honestly I can not foretell the future, and I can only give you what I believe.”

“The same concept lies with Karl Brown, he can tell you the truth, he can not be sure what the outcome of our match up is going to be. He gives you what his thoughts are, even though they are a bit wrong, but they are what he thinks, therefore they are valid for him, and those that want to believe it. But I am going to state this for you. Just cause someone says something doesn’t mean it is the truth.”

“But hell, Karl Brown wants to fill you with his never ending jitter jabber, he wants to fill you with the thoughts that he is better than me. Which is true, he has proving his mark over and over. He has a name above mine. But just cause he has done a remarkable amount of things does not mean I can not defeat him”

“heck, I have proving myself also. I was the first to step into a steel cage here at EPW. I put my dues in at this company. I have proving my worth, I just have to take a leap of faith and step into a ring with a man that is considered the best among us. And I will have to prove that I can defeat that man. And I will prove that at Wrestleverse.”

“Hell, this match has been decided already, by the amount of training we all do. Every second counts in that ring. And I have been pushing my body. If I outlast Karl by a second, that second can be my roll up pin, my amnesia attack, that second can be anything. That is done through the training I put forth.”

“Like I said some people have there mindsets on there beliefs. Karl believes that I can train endless hours in gyms, that I will not know a damn thing. But isn’t obvious that if I practice on what Karl can do in the ring that I am getting a small taste of what he MIGHT do, what he MIGHT try. That makes me a bit more knowledgeable on his performances.”

“And is it not the same that if I enter that ring wrestling like my protégée Troy Douglass, that I will be using his moves, which mean he will have to wrestle him once more in a sort of way. That he will have to think of what worked on Troy and use against me. That means maybe there are two wrestlers the same style. I have been watching how Troy gracefully makes his moves, practicing his ring style, his moves, how he conducts those moves. And then I watched how Karl wrestles against Troy, and I am prepared, I am going out to that ring as Troy Douglas’s mirror image. Karl Brown will be lost, maybe I will switch it up, do my ring moves, then switch to Troy’s.

“I know what Karl is capable of, for gods sake I am learning from the best! I am being taught of how to keep to speed with Karl Brown. The Dragon will not have the burning fire with in him. Karl may have defeated Christian Sands, but I was not under the wing of Troy Douglas when Sandass made me tap out, hell, I am not even the same man I was last night.”

“Men change, and I have change dramatically, Karl Brown will experience that front and center. Karl will suffer, I will ensure that. And by the end of the night I will be the one lifting Karl Brown from the canvass, I will be the one shaking Karl Brown’s hand at the end of it all, and by all means necessary I will have my arm raise in victory.”

“But for now, let our prayers be with Karl Brown, let us all pray for him to leave Wrestleverse in one piece, because the more I think about this match, the more I want to step out to the ring, the more I want this match to come, and when it does come, when that bell sounds it will be a whole different story.”

“Karl Brown, The Dragon, will see the true meaning of pain and suffering, he will see what I have accomplished from Troy Douglas. And to top it all off, he will understand that sometimes, the underdog does come out on top, and when that is proving, I will make sure I am that man coming out on top.”

“By the way, just to address you Karl for a second. You stated that to go above and beyond your abilities in the ring is your goal. Just to let you know, you can step on the stepper all you want, me…I am going to that practice ring and going one step more than you, maybe it is just time for you to see you’re your abilities are slowly simmering. Just a thought.

The door opens as Troy Douglas steps in.

Douglas: Time for your training John, today is the day you learned how to do The End of the Road.

Doe: Like I said I am just like Troy Douglas, maybe just at tad bit better (wink)

John stands up and walks over to the door. Troy pats John’s back a couple times as they walk out the door

Douglas: Talking to Karl Brown again?

Doe: No, talking to the fans.

Douglas: Why?

Doe: Just to let them know that Karl may fail.

Douglas: And why is that?

Doe: He failed in the hands of you, he WILL fail at the whim of my feet.

John turns around looking at the camera

Doe: Just for old time's sake....I am Not Just Anyone...I Am John Doe

FADEOUT…

 

[EpyonMarx]

This... issss....LIVEWIRE

[CUE UP: “Personal Jesus” by Marilyn Manson. The song plays through, and as it fades, we’re treated to another interview with the one and only, “The Dragon”]

DJ: You’re listening to Livewire thirteen fifty, broadcasting live around campus, Norwich and the world on thirteen fifty AM medium wave and on the net at livewire thirteen fifty dot com. We’ve got a very special guest here today, former student and wrestling sensation Karl “The Dragon” Brown, who was also a part of Livewire for his time here. Karl. How does it feel to be back?

Karl: This is the second time I’ve visited campus since graduation and I’m happy to be here in the studio again. It’s one of the places I always felt most at home, behind the decks, when I wasn’t in the gym keeping my stamina up. It’s good to be able to walk around the Broad again too.

DJ: You’ve recently undergone a transformation in your career; can you tell us about that?

Karl: I can do. Whether I will is another matter.

DJ: [laughing] Oh, OK. Will you tell us about your change of heart?

Karl: Well, basically I was getting frustrated at wasting chance after chance. Two shots at world titles, one at the Empire IC title, and numerous number one contender matches; I was beginning to think I’d peaked already. I took a day or two off, going for long walks in the hills over in Derbyshire to try and gather my thoughts, since the amount of travelling and wrestling I’d done had honestly started to weigh heavy on me; I suppose I could’ve taken a couple of weeks off training, but then I’d have been back to square one. So I took a look at myself, back at my matches, and noticed I never seemed to hit as hard as I could, never took the opportunities; basically I was trying to exceed my own abilities without putting my entire heart into it. Yes, I was getting results and yes, I was putting on one hell of a show, but at the end of the day I was still coming up short; what was missing was a killer edge, the willingness to do whatever it took to win. Without that I’d always be the clean-cut guy who never quite did the best he could.

DJ: But why attack one of your trainers?

Karl: Simple; he irritated me. Let me set the record straight here though and let everyone know that Shinji is a trained wrestler with several years experience, so it’s not like he couldn’t have protected himself.

DJ: So, he just irritated you?

Karl: Well, he caught me at a bad time; I needed to change my outlook and he was trying to push me into sticking to the same path, HIS path. I have no problem with what I did; sure, it would’ve been nice to have split more amicably, but we can’t dwell on the past, or it’ll cost us our future.

DJ: K. Moving on, you’ve got a match against John Doe

Karl: [interrupting] The less said about that the better.

DJ: Hm?

Karl: John’s made it clear he’s incapable of the most basic understanding. He’s failed to realise that through all I’ve said I’ve actually been giving him advice on how he can better himself. He then goes and says the same things even though he’ll start the tape saying that he didn’t mean them the last time he said them.

DJ: Such as?

Karl: Did you even see his tape?

DJ: No… I don’t tend to follow him that much, he’s not managed to catch my eye.

Karl: Fine. He said he’s not walking around in his own little personal heaven, then he goes on and says that he’s going to win, he’s going to win, he’s going to win. That’s one of the things that makes his personal heaven; the disillusion that he IS going to win. Working toward the win is fine, no problem; but by using the term “I am going to win” is to try and guess the future, try to be prophetic. It also sets you up for a major fall when you lose. And he will lose, there’s no question about that, because no one can go undefeated in their career. He has gotten better in the ring, but he’s still no better at understanding than he was going up against Storms or Sands.

DJ: How so?

Karl: Well, he still waffles too much. And his vocabulary is off; I think Maelstrom once told me off for a slip of the tongue, but I never called the man who was training me my protégé. Merely adds weight to the theory that he’s got a messiah complex. Or maybe I should point out his tired old cliché about me seeing true pain and suffering when I step into the ring with him; what does he think Mayhem Mountain was? Suplexes onto the steel bars of the cage, thrown into barbed wire, dropping down through the roof of the cell to the cold steel floor below… then having to go out the next card and wrestle the returning Rocko Daymon. Not exactly something he can top in a standard match.

I think I should add here that before this match I did see something in John; he was rough around the edges and lacked direction; he now has a direction, but it’s spiralling in on himself. I admit that there are other opinions to my own, but I also know that life in the ring will be hard. That training has to be hard, and a huge part of wrestling isn’t actually the combat, it’s endurance and the mental game. That’s why I work so much on CV work, to increase my stamina, break through barriers most would never think existed, to keep myself going until I’m beyond exhausted. That’s the difference between the ‘underdog’ winning and losing; the supposed favourite, who at Vegas odds seems this time to be John, gets overconfident, and makes that one mistake; their mind switches off for a few seconds and they lose. I keep my focus in the ring because of the gruelling stamina work I do.

DJ: So, basically Doe may beat you, but he’ll still end up crashing and burning?

Karl: Everyone in this business does sooner or later; the name may stay at the top, but look at the Hogan’s and Flairs; they get laughed at for still going long past their prime. Their star may have shone brightly, but like all other stars, they fade eventually.

DJ: Have you got anything else you’d like to say about the match?

Karl: Not until John’s said something intelligent rather than talking for the sake of hearing his own voice, no.

DJ: OK. When we get back, we’re going to talk about Karl’s time in the ring and who his toughest opponents are, and Karl will also be taking your questions, so keep them coming in. But first, here’s a request from Paul over in Coleman, it’s Lacuna Coil with “Heaven’s a Lie.”

[CUE UP “Heaven’s a Lie” as we FADE AWAY from the radio]

 

[John Doe]

Honor...

FADEIN……

John Doe is sitting on top of a work out bench. He is shaking his head slightly as he looks at the camera. John lifts a 45 pound weight and starts curling as he looks at the camera.

DOE:
"Exercise, the key to all victories!" (drops the weight)

“But you know that already don’t you Karl? I was strolling around Kazaa early today looking at some old promotions from you, watching a bit of film, and I cam across a promotion that is a prediction. That has for tolled the truth of what has become of you Karl Brown.”

“See a great man once said to you Karl Brown, that you were damned. That you would be nothing more than second rate, a mid-card clown for the rest of your time here in EPW. I hope you know who I am talking about…”

“Rocko Daymon…”

“He said those words to you Karl, that he had no respect for a man that only wanted second best, that would never improve himself. Why am I bringing this up? Because what Rocko said is what exactly happened to you Karl. You became nothing, you went for a shot at a second rate belt, against your foe, and you lost to him at Black Dawn.”

“And now you set foot in a ring with me, a man determined to win. A man on fire, ready to set ablaze his triumph after each match. Let me tell you a little something about the Flairs and Hogan’s of wrestling. I am not 50 or 60 years old, I am in my prime, I fresh out the box, I only been wrestling in EPW since Febuary this was my first federation.”

“EPW was the company that released me from Black Water, allowing me to go on to other promotions. So to say I am a Hogan or a Flair, would be incorrect. But hell, Karl the advice you are trying to show me, to better myself, is good, thank you, I most truly appreciate it.”

“But in the end, and through it all, you are not my trainer, you are telling me stuff that is just what is in your beliefs, ways you can set me up for your win. But hell, you have had so many title shots Karl, two world shots, IC title shots, Karl where is that belt at?”

“I don’t see one around your waist…..could it just may have been, Karl “The Dragon” Brown, was not good enough to win a title. All in all you have failed repeatedly, but all of that has changed now hasn’t it? Cause Karl Brown is on a rampage, he has found himself…yes, found him self, still in the lower, even the mid-cards fighting it with men like, C-4, men that oppose no threat to you, Karl, what so ever.”

“While I have had opposition like JA, Adam Benjamin, being trained by a man named Troy Douglas, I have found my calling, you say you have but yet you have done nothing but shown that you can’t hit the bar, no even to good enough to face off with our current champion Beast.”

“In the end you lack what you so namely claim you have….honor. See you take honor as a thing you can so easily grasp.”

“Webster claims honor in it’s transitive verb as: “To live up to or fulfill the terms of b : To accept as payment” But honestly….irony right there for you…you have not done any of that, therefore you have no honor to claim, you fought match after match, in the same concept as me, hitting and missing, flaking out here and there. You hit big once, twice, then flake to someone not at the same level as the rest.”

“I am in the same area as you Karl, but I am going to hit one, twice, three times, until I have accomplished what others can dream of. You went toe to toe with Maelstrom, great for you, the man is a living legend. But know you step toe to toe with a kid, a rookie, that has that hunger so deep in him that it is literally eating at him.”

“I will step in that ring at Wrestleverse, I will show you that I am not the repartitioned person you think I am. That I can change, that anything is possible, that anybody can beat anybody at any given time.”

“By the way Karl, to say I am overconfident is nonsense, because I am not overconfident. I do have that thought somewhere in me thinking you have more in you then I do, I just believe that somewhere inside of me lies that extra move, that agility that can push me higher.”

“Motivation is always the key Karl, and I am motivated. I am set to prove that I can rise above the best in the company, that I can prove I am one of a kind. That motivation drives me onward, it pushes me harder, testing me till the end. It is what drives me, it helps me when I try to give up, and Troy Douglas, he is the angle on my shoulder, telling me to push on, to strive for the win, that is what has me a step above you.”

“Thus, the time for us to go head to head is coming karl, and you honor and everything you will for will be tested, I will be tired, and we will be judged. You keep training Karl, you push yourself, because at Wrestleverse, when I step in that ring I am prepared to go head to head with the best. Win or lose I went up against a great, and that is what my goal truly is Karl.”

“Oh, before I forget Karl, I want to leave you with a little quote”

“It is better to deserve honors and not have them than to have them and not deserve them”- Mark Twain

“I am not just anyone…I am John Doe”

FADE OUT

 

[EpyonMarx]

Livewire part2

[FADE OUT of “Heaven’s A Lie” as we return to the show]

DJ: OK. Now, Karl, a lot of people have been wondering who you consider your toughest opponent and why?

Karl: I wouldn’t put any one person as my toughest opponent; Adam Benjamin holds two wins over me and put me through a technical challenge like no other. Christian Sands and I have fought three times and hold one win apiece, and he’s put me through the wringer. Maelstrom over-powered and dominated me like only he can. Each opponent brings with them their own challenges. No two men are the same, and they never do the moves the same as anyone else.

DJ: So what’re you saying?

Karl: I’m saying that on any given day anyone can win, and that each opponent should be treated with the same respect as any other. Granted I have underestimated people in the past; no-one’s perfect, after all. One can strive for perfection, but you shouldn’t be consciously doing so; if you do then you start to make mistakes; it’s more a subconscious thing. The subconscious of the human mind is what makes or breaks a person. Through the subconscious you can learn a lot.

DJ: I don’t understand.

Karl: Wrestling isn’t physical so much as mental. The greats are the ones who can read their opponents and out psyche them. They do that by seeing the subtle hints given off by their opponents; changing their goals part way through from, say, winning to competing toe to toe with a great, or the way in which their opponent acts when they start getting frustrated. It’s a mental game which is very difficult to master; I’m far from mastering it, but I have been cursed with an ability to read those signals somewhat.

DJ: How so?

Karl: I can see in some opponents when they alter their approach; they can go from “I will win” to “Anyone can win.” They can start trying to sound tough, when really it’s just their own irritation at their own inadequacies. I’ve noticed that a lot with Doe; he starts off fine, but as soon as someone actually out argues his points, he gets angry, loses his focus. I used to make the same mistake. And undoubtedly I’ll make it again somewhere down the road. But at least I acknowledge publicly that I’m fallible before someone tells me I am.

DJ: So basically you’re trying to take away one of their methods of attacking you?

Karl: No, not really. It’s more than I’m letting them know that what they say won’t bother me.

DJ: OK. Well, I’ve got here some questions from the listeners here on campus. Do you want to take a few of them?

Karl: Sure.

DJ: First question is from Dave Bradshaw in Norfolk. He wants to know how you feel to have dropped down the card from fighting Maelstrom and Benjamin to fighting toe-rags like Doe? His words, not mine.

Karl: I’m paid to wrestle. When I started here in EPW, I was opening the card against Mike Diamond. I think considering the talent there is in EPW and the limited amount of space on the cards it’s understandable that I do have to muck around down here, but I also know that sooner or later I’ll be pushing for the top again.

DJ: Mike on Unthank Road asks you how you feel to see Doe now up against the likes of JA and Benjamin? Apparently whilst we were at break Doe popped up again.

Karl: Like I said when I was preparing for X, it’s up to Ryan and Freeman what they have on their cards. I’m paid to wrestle, not to complain when my opponents start going down in calibre and someone else gets to fight the better members of the roster. If Doe was going on about that happening then he obviously doesn’t bother doing as much research as he says he does.

DJ: Sally from Coleman texted in this question; is watching videos and having someone else put you in holds the best way to learn about them? And are you single?

Karl: [laughing] No, no I’m not single. And as for the wrestling question, watching tapes doesn’t give you the whole story, and neither does being put in the holds by someone else. I’m sure if I were to put you in Mortal Sin you wouldn’t be in anywhere near as bad a shape as when Maelstrom puts you in it. Same with any move; each individual is different, and no two wrestlers put a move on the same way. It’s not really a good idea to have someone else try and teach you how to break out of someone else’s big moves, because they don’t know all the ways to put someone in the move.

DJ: OK. Last questions, this one from Simon in Constable Terrace. What would you say honour is, and would you agree with the quote “It is better to deserve honours and not have them than to have them and not deserve them”?

Karl: Sounds like something Doe would say. Well, honour is a very difficult thing to describe. What I see honour as is peace within yourself, pushing yourself to and beyond your own limits and keeping to your word in doing so. The only person who knows you’ve done your all, the only person you can really be honourable to, is yourself. Only you ever know what you’re doing and thinking and no-one else has any right to claim your actions aren’t honourable. I’ve done that before, and I was wrong to do so, but I still maintain that to this day. As for the quote, honours in wrestling aren’t won at the time of your career; the titles aren’t honours, it’s how people remember you after your career is over that’s the real honour. Ultimately what we do is pointless because sooner or later all names fade. But the longer it takes for your name to fade, the greater the honour.

DJ: OK. Thanks for coming in, Karl, and good luck against Doe.

Karl: Any time.

[CUE UP: “On Mercury” by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers as we FADE OUT]

 

[John Doe]

FADE IN….

John is sitting on a bench, he is in the EPW locker room, he looks at the floor, fixing his attire for the ring. John puts on his shirt. He takes a drag from his cig and gives a blank soulless stare

DOE:

“And yet we hit yet another bump in the great road of Karl brown versus John Doe. And yet once you think the verbal war is over, well another battle eludes you. And that battle, can yet utterly destroy you, and make your point so valid that your opponent must shut his mouth. That will happen in this last hour of desperation.”

‘This last hour, is one that I need to focus on, because in these last moments we will embark on a journey that will embed on the minds of millions, those people, will remember the night that John Doe and Karl brown stepped foot in the ring together. Those fans will remember the one man to rise over the other.”

“They will watch us, they will cheer or jeer, but at the end you Karl will remember this night also, you will never forget that when you stepped in that ring with me I gave you everything I had. And if I fail in my quest for victory so be it, I will not stop there, I will face you again Karl, this is not just a one time fling. By god if I fail you will meet me n the ring again, that is what you are going up against in that ring. A man that will defeat you one way or another.”

“And if you fail Karl, I would think of you to do the same, to pursue at me until you get a win against me, in the long run I will run into you again. We will see each other as opponents once more before one of use retires. That’s if you decided not to be like a Hogan or a Flair (winks)”

“The time is slowly ticking, and my mind has to be clear for this match up. I will be leaving in a little bit Karl, I will go out to that ring and show you exactly what I can do. And when I do that, you will see that I am not just a lucky man, that I didn’t beat Benjamin out of luck, that I did it all with my bare hands, with my motivation. And that Karl was my key to victory.”

“And victory is what is going to be the unambiguous line between the two of us. It is the one thing we are both striving for. And in the end we will look at that victory with a smirk across our face. That victory is what I am going for Karl, it means the world to me. I do intercept loss, failures, I pursue my destiny.”

"Destiny is what is going to truly show the winner. Becuase Fate is never optional, it not something we can choose, it falsl upon us, showing us that all things can happen to ones that work for them. In this time, in this arena, fate is sitting on my shoulder. It has falling upon me showing me the ways to end this battle, and showing me the keys for future victories"

"Fate is everything that lies before us, it guides us, showing our faults, preventing our dreams, and making them come ture...but only when we want them to. We work for fate to stand behind us, only the willing can have fate rise behind them. And I have shown forth that effort termendousliy, over and over I have shown that I will rise to the fate of victory"

"And it will not be luck, it is not just fate that decides it. It is also the want for the win. Fate can help us, but the need, the burn with in you is what drives you onward, that is what sets me apart form you Karl is that want. It is unexplainable, it is what calls me. I will show forth my wnat for that pin Karl."

John tightens his combat boots as he fixes his bondage pants and looks at the camera.

“But honestly, I thought I would never come back out here and do another promotion, but here I am yet again, another time another day, to reinforce a point that so seemingly won’t drive into your thick skull. That message I will NOT deliver again, instead I want to make a few valid points that I have so gracefully like to point out.”

“One: Karl Brown you are one of the best to step in the ring, and I am a lucky man to step in a ring with you also, you are one of the few greats that any league has to offer”

“Two: This war that we have had in promotions only lead to another battle, more grueling this this, and in that battle only ONE will rise.”

“And Three: Let the best man win, because when that bell rings my mind is on that pin, and I understand so will yours. “

“But Karl before I got I want to leave you with something that came to attention to me a while back but I never mentioned it”

“Adam Benjamin has two wins against you, I have one win against Adam, and in the end I am going to beat you exactly how I beat Benjamin….with my skills”

FADEOUT No catchy slogans, not catchphrases just John walking out the locker room