Post by Tornado Desencadenado on Mar 7, 2017 22:54:51 GMT -5
Tornado Desencadenado sat on the sagging futon that took up most of the space in his studio apartment. He was dressed casually in blue dungarees and a black tee shirt with the Alpha Wrestling Empire logo printed in red across its front. His normally unkempt hair was pulled back and knotted in a tidy‘man-bun’. The camera he was using to record his promo was tilted in a way that it filmed TD from a low angle, making the already barrel-chested wrestler look even thicker. He addressed his audience.
“On paper, Tommy Stone and I are very different wrestlers. He is a bare knuckle bruiser type with additional experience in lucha libre, while I only sound like I should have that in my background because of my ring name. Tommy can throw down with the best of them, and he’s proved that repeatedly in his decade long career; but also has the ability to fly high if he needs to. In contrast, I rely on my amateur training and my power to compete, and have only done so professionally for a fraction of the time Florida’s Finest has. So, when you read our bios on the Alpha Wrestling Empire homepage, it appears we’re at opposite ends of the combat sports’ spectrum.”
The young wrestler paused briefly, as if he was allowing the viewer an opportunity to go to the company’s website and check out his and Stone’s respective resumes.
“Another way Tommy Stone and I differ is in our respective good fortunes; I’ve had it, and he hasn’t. I’m talking about recently, and specifically what’s been going on for us in AWE. Tommy’s got an 0-2 record in the company officially, but all of his matches have had endings so screwy he has to be thinking he’s snake bit. He lost his first fight against Christian Jones by disqualification, and his second match was thrown out when Akragth’s goon squad jumped him and his opponent Zack Fantana. He would eventually lose to Zack in a rematch that included Akragth, who again played the part of spoiler; this time by walking out while the fight was still going on. So, yeah, Tommy Stone’s had a run of bad luck these last couple of months.”
“Meanwhile, since joining Alpha Wrestling I’ve had the proverbial golden horseshoe stuck up my backside. In my unofficial debut I won an unofficial championship. I renamed the belt the ‘Lagniappe Title’ and announced I would put it on the line in my first real match in the company in a sort of pseudo ‘Pay it Forward’ scenario. Whoever eliminated me from the Eight Man Over the Top Rope Battle Royal would get the belt. Only, I didn’t get eliminated. I won the Battle Royal, but my performance wasn’t exactly dominating. One of the top talents booked for the match, Caroline Burchill, refused to take part. She claimed it was beneath her.”
The disapproving stare TD gave the camera made it clear how little he thought of that rationalization. He continued on with his summary of last week’s contest.
“Another big name, Benny Stevens, wasn’t too proud to take part, but his chances of winning were snuffed out when a supposed ‘old friend’ interfered and eliminated him. Hopefully he gets the chance to give out some payback for that ambush soon. As for my showing in the Battle Royal, I wasn’t even responsible for my own victory, as the last three competitors essentially tossed themselves out of the ring. Like I said: golden horseshoe.”
The Fundamental Elemental’s tone had turned apologetic. With an embarrassed smile he rubbed the back of his near non-existent neck.
“Different skill sets. Different fortunes. Tommy Stone and I do have something in common, though: our goal in AWE. Next Sunday, at Massacre 10, we both will be looking for relevance. I don’t care what the division rankings say: I still have a lot to prove in this company. An unsanctioned brawl against a jo-, er, enhancement talent and being a bystander to my only recognized win as part of Alpha Wrestling should not, does not, put me at the top of any list. To have my name above other Resilience roster talents like Dare Clemmens, Zack Fantana, and Bindy Trent? It’s either a typo or a rib. Regardless of the reason, I need to prove whatever hype about me going into Massacre 10 is real. Because if I do want the opportunity to face off against the Division’s big names I first have to show I’m more than just a rookie who’s been in the right places at the right times.”
Tornado leaned to his left to take up something from off camera. When he drew his arm back in its grip was the Lagniappe Championship. He draped the belt across his lap in such a way so that the dull and care-worn buckle was visible in the shot.
“Tommy Stone, I’m guessing if you had your way we wouldn’t be wrestling in Des Moines on Sunday. I have to believe you want another shot at Akragth. If our situations were reversed I know that’s what I’d be after. But a chance at revenge is going to have to wait. Next Sunday, you are facing me, and you can be sure I don’t plan on taking a powder like your masked buddy did. I’ll be in that ring from bell to bell, and I intend on being the one whose hand gets raised when our match is over. I assume the fact I’m again defending the ‘Lagniappe Championship’ doesn’t mean much to a man who’s won over a dozen acknowledged titles in his career. What should matter is a victory is another step in maintaining our relevancy in a stacked field of competitors. At Massacre 10, the struggle to stay above the mean continues for both of us.”
“On paper, Tommy Stone and I are very different wrestlers. He is a bare knuckle bruiser type with additional experience in lucha libre, while I only sound like I should have that in my background because of my ring name. Tommy can throw down with the best of them, and he’s proved that repeatedly in his decade long career; but also has the ability to fly high if he needs to. In contrast, I rely on my amateur training and my power to compete, and have only done so professionally for a fraction of the time Florida’s Finest has. So, when you read our bios on the Alpha Wrestling Empire homepage, it appears we’re at opposite ends of the combat sports’ spectrum.”
The young wrestler paused briefly, as if he was allowing the viewer an opportunity to go to the company’s website and check out his and Stone’s respective resumes.
“Another way Tommy Stone and I differ is in our respective good fortunes; I’ve had it, and he hasn’t. I’m talking about recently, and specifically what’s been going on for us in AWE. Tommy’s got an 0-2 record in the company officially, but all of his matches have had endings so screwy he has to be thinking he’s snake bit. He lost his first fight against Christian Jones by disqualification, and his second match was thrown out when Akragth’s goon squad jumped him and his opponent Zack Fantana. He would eventually lose to Zack in a rematch that included Akragth, who again played the part of spoiler; this time by walking out while the fight was still going on. So, yeah, Tommy Stone’s had a run of bad luck these last couple of months.”
“Meanwhile, since joining Alpha Wrestling I’ve had the proverbial golden horseshoe stuck up my backside. In my unofficial debut I won an unofficial championship. I renamed the belt the ‘Lagniappe Title’ and announced I would put it on the line in my first real match in the company in a sort of pseudo ‘Pay it Forward’ scenario. Whoever eliminated me from the Eight Man Over the Top Rope Battle Royal would get the belt. Only, I didn’t get eliminated. I won the Battle Royal, but my performance wasn’t exactly dominating. One of the top talents booked for the match, Caroline Burchill, refused to take part. She claimed it was beneath her.”
The disapproving stare TD gave the camera made it clear how little he thought of that rationalization. He continued on with his summary of last week’s contest.
“Another big name, Benny Stevens, wasn’t too proud to take part, but his chances of winning were snuffed out when a supposed ‘old friend’ interfered and eliminated him. Hopefully he gets the chance to give out some payback for that ambush soon. As for my showing in the Battle Royal, I wasn’t even responsible for my own victory, as the last three competitors essentially tossed themselves out of the ring. Like I said: golden horseshoe.”
The Fundamental Elemental’s tone had turned apologetic. With an embarrassed smile he rubbed the back of his near non-existent neck.
“Different skill sets. Different fortunes. Tommy Stone and I do have something in common, though: our goal in AWE. Next Sunday, at Massacre 10, we both will be looking for relevance. I don’t care what the division rankings say: I still have a lot to prove in this company. An unsanctioned brawl against a jo-, er, enhancement talent and being a bystander to my only recognized win as part of Alpha Wrestling should not, does not, put me at the top of any list. To have my name above other Resilience roster talents like Dare Clemmens, Zack Fantana, and Bindy Trent? It’s either a typo or a rib. Regardless of the reason, I need to prove whatever hype about me going into Massacre 10 is real. Because if I do want the opportunity to face off against the Division’s big names I first have to show I’m more than just a rookie who’s been in the right places at the right times.”
Tornado leaned to his left to take up something from off camera. When he drew his arm back in its grip was the Lagniappe Championship. He draped the belt across his lap in such a way so that the dull and care-worn buckle was visible in the shot.
“Tommy Stone, I’m guessing if you had your way we wouldn’t be wrestling in Des Moines on Sunday. I have to believe you want another shot at Akragth. If our situations were reversed I know that’s what I’d be after. But a chance at revenge is going to have to wait. Next Sunday, you are facing me, and you can be sure I don’t plan on taking a powder like your masked buddy did. I’ll be in that ring from bell to bell, and I intend on being the one whose hand gets raised when our match is over. I assume the fact I’m again defending the ‘Lagniappe Championship’ doesn’t mean much to a man who’s won over a dozen acknowledged titles in his career. What should matter is a victory is another step in maintaining our relevancy in a stacked field of competitors. At Massacre 10, the struggle to stay above the mean continues for both of us.”