Look away from my crystal ball
[FADE IN. A typical setting for “The Dragon”, sitting up in the familiar branches of a tree. Typical dress for him as well, casual in his jeans and fleece jacket. He’s resting with his back against the trunk of the mighty oak tree, his left leg straight along the branch whilst his right is bent, his right arm resting on the knee]
Karl: This has been a strange year for me. I’ve wrestled a sparse handful of matches, yet have been invited into my second tournament this year. The last tournament I was in, I managed to place forth and suplex a man over twice my own weight from the top rope. What am I going to do this time around?
That all depends. I’m not a clairvoyant, have never claimed to be nor will ever do so. I am a professional wrestler, and my job is to go out there and wrestle, not give you predictions on winners and losers, or the winning lottery results. To be honest, if I could predict the future, don’t you think I would’ve won the lottery a few dozen times by now?
The same is true of my first round opponent, Trevor Hawke. A man I’ve never heard of, and care little for besides this one match. I’m hoping he won’t be like so many other opponents I’ve faced, claiming to be the best and how he’s going to hurt me because of his past exploits. It becomes tiresome, hearing people give the same spiel over and over again – although it makes my job slightly easier, seeing as how I’ve already turned those arguments on their heads time and again.
Let me make one thing clear to you, Trevor. Whatever you think your career up to this point means, it has no bearing on the outcome of this match. You’ve won titles, you’ve won matches. Congratulations. You’ve gotten to this point by that path. I’ve gotten to this point through a different path. But the path is unimportant – it’s the situation we’re in now that matters. The match. One on one, where one mistake, where one single, solitary slip can cost you the match. The decisions and choices we make in the match will determine the outcome. Your past will not.
Of course, you’re free to delude yourself into thinking your past accomplishments mean something to me. It’s your mistake to make as you wish.
So, what do I recommend?
[Karl turns his head, looking down into the camera for the first time. His eyes seem to be burning with a conviction that hasn't been seen for a while]
Karl: I recommend training hard. This match is not to be taken lightly – no match is. I could be facing someone who has never had any athletic training, and I would still take the match as seriously. All matches, all opponents, are worth the same effort. If you let yourself slacken in training for a moment, you may as well throw in the towel, because you become overconfident. Overconfidence, ultimately, derails anyone in this industry. It makes you think you’re at your best when you’re not – and that is all any opponent needs to seize the victory. That overconfidence is all it takes for the absolute rookie to defeat the veteran. The best don’t suffer from that overconfidence – they remain focused. They are confident in what they can do in the ring. That is what makes a person the best there is.
Trevor, I hope you come out and give this match the commitment it deserves. I hope you come out and give the fans as good a showing as you can, and that you provide a suitable challenge for me to test myself. But know this – I don’t care how badly I hurt you in the ring. If you let your guard down, even for a moment… I will take advantage of the fact, and you will be wearing a neck-brace the next day.
That is not a prediction or a threat. That is a promise I am more than capable of fulfilling.
[FADE OUT]
