Post by Kyle Kemp on Aug 18, 2019 15:53:31 GMT -5
Tuesday August 13
10:00 AM
We open up on Kyle Kemp sitting on a couch in an attic but this is no ordinary attic. The attic is tastefully decorated and a black leather recliner sits in the middle of the room. Kemp has a set of headphones on and is smiling as a figure emerges from the bathroom. That figure is none other than Dax Shepard and we now realize that Kemp is here to be a guest on Dax’s hit podcast, Armchair Expert.
Dax takes a seat and throws on his headphones. His partner Monica Padman gives the signal and the recording begins. “Alright well we have a special guest today in Kyle Kemp. What’s up man?”
“Not a whole lot man, just getting ready for our next pay per view on Sunday!”
“Uprising right?”
“Yep.”
“Nice. I’ve heard some pretty great things leading into that. What brings you out this way? You are almost never in LA. I feel like when we cross paths it’s in Chicago.”
“Well I’m in town visiting my new agent Aaron Stringer. You might remember Aaron’s name as a former baseball player and a teammate of mine. He has an office here so we’re meeting before I head on to Las Vegas for Uprising and all of the appearances that go along with that.”
“Well I’m happy I could snag you for a few minutes. Before we go any further I have to ask you. How are you feeling?”
Kemp shrugs. “I’ve felt better. Obviously Walter got the best of me a couple of weeks back and it’s been a grind to get myself in the proper wrestling condition but I feel like I’m right where I need to be.”
“I’ve got to say….it was pretty rough seeing him choke you out like that. As your friend I have to say I was concerned.”
“Yeah you were one of the many people that texted me and I thank you for that. I thank everyone for their concern but I’m ready to go and I’m ready to get in the ring and choke him out….again!”
“That was pretty amazing when you did it at Carnage. What was it like in that moment?”
“It was exhilarating. I knew I had him on the ropes but he’s a big dude. It was hard to keep my arms around his neck and I’ve got to admit, I started to get tired but what kept me going was that crowd. They were going bananas and I fed off of them.”
“They were popping pretty huge for you. What’s it like out there? I love when we do live events because I can soak in those reactions but I’m usually taping tv shows or movies so I don’t get that experience. Especially the experience you get with that big of a crowd.”
“It’s a feeling that I chase every single week. I love wrestling in front of thousands of people and having them on the hook week to week. I feel like I’ve created such a connection with the fans that even at the smaller events I’ve got a mass following. However with that comes the pressure to perform every night. Sometimes it’s hard after long days of travel, working out and keeping up with your responsibilities but the cheers are what make it all worth it.”
“I feel the same way when a fan comes up and tells me that they love my movies. I get you. So how are you preparing for this Sunday? I know you beat Walter a few weeks ago but he seems more determined than ever to literally kill you.”
Kemp scoffs. “Walter is a bully. Plain and simple. Most guys lose to Walter before they even get in the ring because they are scared of the theatrics of it all. The “leash”, his ridiculously large body and that damn hard as nails attitude. They get so in their own head that they can’t perform when they get in the ring. I don't have that problem with Walter. I’ve beaten him!” Kemp pauses. “Let me go one further. I’ve not only beaten him but I’ve choked him out. I’m the one in his head now. He knows that I’m not scared of him and he knows that I can beat him. It’s a damage to his own psyche. That’s why he lashed out at me a couple weeks ago. He doesn’t know what to do. He’s not used to this.”
“I can see that but you have to admit, he was on the brink of strangling you a couple of weeks ago. They literally had to check if you were still breathing. Aren’t you a little bit scared of getting in the ring with him on Sunday? I mean it’s a match where you literally have to choke the other man out. What’s stopping him from just finishing what he started?”
Kemp snarls. “People shouldn’t be scared of what he’s going to do. They should be scared of what I am going to do. Did Walter have me in a bad way? Yes. Was I on the brink of dying? Yes. Am I scared? Hell no. Not in the slightest. I am better than Walter. I’ve proved it once and I’m going to prove it again. I didn’t work this hard to get the United States Title to lose it after a few weeks. I’m no one hit wonder and when Walter said I would never choke him out again, well I took that as a challenge. A challenge to shut him up once and for all. People shouldn’t be scared for me. I’m going to be fine.”
“Well I wish you luck my man! You and I both know I’m rooting for you but that’s all about business. Let’s get into some of the other stuff. How are things going personally? Obviously you’ve been through a lot over the years. You lost your parents, you got banned from baseball, the problems with the Kemp Foundation, you just had to fire your manager for embezzlement. That’s a laundry list of bad shit and you are still moving forward.”
Kemp laughs. “Wow you really ran all the highlights there. Well lowlights I guess. I’m doing good! I’ve obviously grown up a lot over the past couple of years and I’ve been able to get my mind right. As you know I moved to right outside of Omaha and that was a huge help. I live in a house in the country and I’m able to reset my mind when I head back there. Living in the big city of Chicago was great but there were to many temptations for me to fall back into there. It’s been a giant part of my development and now I’m beginning to feel like the man I always thought I would be.”
“That’s really great! I remember meeting you about six years ago and I liked you but didn’t like you. Does that make sense?”
Kemp snickers. “Yeah it does. I actually hear that a lot. So many people tell me I was the nicest dick they’d ever met. I guess I had really mastered that art.”
“That’s exactly right! You were so nice but some of the things you’d say in between the nice things made me cringe. However in the last few years we’ve seen each other on the road and at a few different events so we’ve been able to keep tabs on each other. I’m really happy I could have you on today man.”
“It was a pleasure man. I obviously have a lot of time on the road so I listen to your podcast all the time. I was pleasantly surprised when you asked me to be a guest. I think I’m the first pro wrestler to have been on here!”
“That you are. Well Kyle Kemp it has been an honor sir.”
“Thanks again for having me on Dax.” The theme for Armchair Expert begins to play and we fade away.
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Wednesday August 14
8:30 PM
Kemp is shown sitting at the bar in his hotel, waiting for Aaron to show up for their meeting. They were going to meet at Aaron’s office but he insisted on getting a drink instead. That was definitely not a good sign. Kemp took a sip of his Glenlivet 15 on the rocks when Aaron saddled up next to him. He looked at the bartender. “I’ll have what he’s having.”
Kemp looks at him with a grin. “Bad day?”
“For you and me.”
Kemp groans. “Oh God….what now?”
“Well Camila is a giant cunt for one.”
“I could’ve told you that.”
“Yeah well she’s lowballing you still. She says one win isn’t enough for your extension.”
Kemp shrugs. “I assumed that was coming. It’ll be fine.”
Aaron looks at Kemp with annoyance. “Fine? It’ll be fine?”
“I’m going to win again. How many wins does she want?”
Aaron downs his scotch. “Just one. She wants you to win this match with Walter. She says if you can choke him out a second time than you will have earned your contract.”
“Well that’s not so bad.”
“Except he tried to kill you a couple weeks ago!”
Kemp puts up a finger. “That means nothing. He got the jump on me! I’ll be fine!”
“You are going to have to choke him out again! Do you realize how hard that was last time?”
Kemp puts his hand on Aaron’s shoulder. “I promise you it will be fine. I am ready. My body has recovered and I’m ready to go. Walter is going to go down. Mark my words….I will put him down one more time.”
“Yeah I heard you say that on that podcast. You do realize Walter is listening to these too right? You’re only pissing him off.”
“Oh I hope so.”
Aaron shakes his head. “You have a fucking death wish.”
“No I have a plan and it’s going smoothly. Walter is going to get so angry that he doesn’t think about anything else except for strangling me.”
“And that’s how he wins the match.”
“No it’s how I pounce. Believe me Aaron. I’m ready for Walter. He doesn’t realize I’m the one in control.” Kemp takes another sip of scotch as we fade away.
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Saturday August 17
4:30 PM
We pick up on Kemp sitting in the top row of the arena in Las Vegas. It’s the night before Uprising and Kemp is smiling. The camera moves around him and points over the top of his head and down at the ring set up at the floor. “Look at the ring down there. A beautiful sight even from up here.” Kemp looks at the seats around him. “Up here is where some of the most rabid fans congregate. The fans that buy their tickets with what little funds they have, just hoping to get to take in the experience of an electric show. These are the types of people that I fight for. These people that use their little left over money after they scrape together the rent just to see us. These are the people that drive me. Their cheers are what helped me beat you last time Walter.”
Kemp points in a circle around him. “These people could be heard as we wrestled and do you know what they were all cheering for? They were cheering for a real United States Champion. They were screaming their lungs out for someone that they could relate to because that’s what the United States Champion should be. A champion for the people and that is what I am.”
Kemp smiles. “Years ago I thought money and fame were all that was important. The amount of zeros at the end of the check were what drove me so with that came a lackadaisical approach to my wrestling. As long as the checks came rolling in that was all that mattered. It wasn’t until my past came back to haunt me in #BeachKrew that I wondered if it had all been worth it. I clearly remember sitting in my hotel room after getting the shit kicked out of me by #BeachKrew and wondering why I was doing this? Was it for the zeros after all? Because the zeros weren’t feeling all that great. I was at a crossroads. I could walk away and live comfortably or I could look deep inside and figure out who I was!”
“That’s when I remembered the few times my Dad was around when I was a kid. We would watch wrestling and hang out. He would pop me a Coke and he’d have a beer. He didn’t show up to my games or take me fishing. He just watched wrestling with me. Those moments were the ones I can look back on and remember fondly of him. That’s why when I asked myself if I wanted to walk away I couldn’t do it. I kept thinking of another kid sitting at home with his father. What if that kid was a fan of mine? What if I was the reason they tuned in? I couldn’t do that to them so I decided to not only stay but dedicate myself more than I ever had.”
Kemp purses his lips with emotion. “I decided to stay and be someone those people could look up to. I wanted to not be the guy that people had long thought I was. I always knew I could be better and I was going to be better. I’ve spent the better part of this year working on myself and things are moving in the right direction. I have learned to love myself after so many years of hate. I’ve gotten into the best shape of my life. Oh and I have this!”
Kemp pulls out the United States Title belt and puts it on his shoulder as he stands up and starts walking down to the ring. “Do you see this Walter? This is what hard work, passion and giving max effort looks like. This is what heart looks like! This is what America looks like! You say you want this belt back but why? You don’t represent anything that has anything to do with America. You just represent what’s wrong.”
“You are the grimy underbelly of America. You think you can get what you want by pushing people around. You talk about the violence that drives you and how you are an evolved man but those are all just things you say to feel better about yourself! You think that being the biggest and baddest earns you something. That’s the only reason why you want this belt back. You think you deserve it but you should really be scared of it.”
Kemp smiles. “Or be scared of me which you are Walter. Don’t try and tell me you aren’t. I saw it in your eyes as I watched the end of our match at Carnage. I saw your eyes widen as I jumped on your back and you realized I wasn’t going to fall down like all the rest. I saw it when you saw I wasn’t going to give up! Do you know how you beat a bully Walter? You walk right up to him and punch him in the mouth. Well I did just that except I took it a step further and I choked you out! And do you know what I get by doing so? I get your spirit. I get that aura of invincibility.”
“You see I showed everyone that you are just like everyone else and that you can be beaten. That is the real reason you want this match. You want to get that back. You want to blow it off like it was some fluke. The truth is that I just may be better than you. Did you ever think of that Walter? Did it ever occur in your tiny brain that my experience, resilience and drive was too much for you? Because it crosses my mind every day.”
Kemp smirks. “I think of that as I hear everyone tell me I should be scared to get in the ring with you after you almost killed me a couple weeks ago. I think of that because I know deep down you are too. You are scared that I will fully wipe away the mystique of Walter and all that will be left is the same insecure little boy that you once were. That is why I will be more than happy to sign the waiver for this match because I know you won’t beat me.”
“What I do know is that I’m going to be the United States Champion when Uprising is all said and done. Some say that Uprising is named for those that are trying to break through in the All In match but the truth is that I’m the one that is going to lead the uprising of Action Wrestling and their fans. No longer will we be held silent and no longer will we allow people like Walter push us around. This match is for everyone that has been held down and everyone that has let people like Walter walk all over them. I’m going to go out there and prove once and for all that I’m better than Walter. You hear that Walter! I’m better than you!” Kemp smirks as he hops over the guardrail. He slides into the ring and holds the title above his head. “You hear me Walter! I’m better than you! Tomorrow night I end this and prove it. Get ready Walter because I’m coming for you!” Kemp holds up one finger. “I take that back. We’re coming for you!” The lights turn up as we see fans begin to flood into the arena and around the ring, cheering. Kemp raises the title as the fans keep going crazy as we fade away.
10:00 AM
We open up on Kyle Kemp sitting on a couch in an attic but this is no ordinary attic. The attic is tastefully decorated and a black leather recliner sits in the middle of the room. Kemp has a set of headphones on and is smiling as a figure emerges from the bathroom. That figure is none other than Dax Shepard and we now realize that Kemp is here to be a guest on Dax’s hit podcast, Armchair Expert.
Dax takes a seat and throws on his headphones. His partner Monica Padman gives the signal and the recording begins. “Alright well we have a special guest today in Kyle Kemp. What’s up man?”
“Not a whole lot man, just getting ready for our next pay per view on Sunday!”
“Uprising right?”
“Yep.”
“Nice. I’ve heard some pretty great things leading into that. What brings you out this way? You are almost never in LA. I feel like when we cross paths it’s in Chicago.”
“Well I’m in town visiting my new agent Aaron Stringer. You might remember Aaron’s name as a former baseball player and a teammate of mine. He has an office here so we’re meeting before I head on to Las Vegas for Uprising and all of the appearances that go along with that.”
“Well I’m happy I could snag you for a few minutes. Before we go any further I have to ask you. How are you feeling?”
Kemp shrugs. “I’ve felt better. Obviously Walter got the best of me a couple of weeks back and it’s been a grind to get myself in the proper wrestling condition but I feel like I’m right where I need to be.”
“I’ve got to say….it was pretty rough seeing him choke you out like that. As your friend I have to say I was concerned.”
“Yeah you were one of the many people that texted me and I thank you for that. I thank everyone for their concern but I’m ready to go and I’m ready to get in the ring and choke him out….again!”
“That was pretty amazing when you did it at Carnage. What was it like in that moment?”
“It was exhilarating. I knew I had him on the ropes but he’s a big dude. It was hard to keep my arms around his neck and I’ve got to admit, I started to get tired but what kept me going was that crowd. They were going bananas and I fed off of them.”
“They were popping pretty huge for you. What’s it like out there? I love when we do live events because I can soak in those reactions but I’m usually taping tv shows or movies so I don’t get that experience. Especially the experience you get with that big of a crowd.”
“It’s a feeling that I chase every single week. I love wrestling in front of thousands of people and having them on the hook week to week. I feel like I’ve created such a connection with the fans that even at the smaller events I’ve got a mass following. However with that comes the pressure to perform every night. Sometimes it’s hard after long days of travel, working out and keeping up with your responsibilities but the cheers are what make it all worth it.”
“I feel the same way when a fan comes up and tells me that they love my movies. I get you. So how are you preparing for this Sunday? I know you beat Walter a few weeks ago but he seems more determined than ever to literally kill you.”
Kemp scoffs. “Walter is a bully. Plain and simple. Most guys lose to Walter before they even get in the ring because they are scared of the theatrics of it all. The “leash”, his ridiculously large body and that damn hard as nails attitude. They get so in their own head that they can’t perform when they get in the ring. I don't have that problem with Walter. I’ve beaten him!” Kemp pauses. “Let me go one further. I’ve not only beaten him but I’ve choked him out. I’m the one in his head now. He knows that I’m not scared of him and he knows that I can beat him. It’s a damage to his own psyche. That’s why he lashed out at me a couple weeks ago. He doesn’t know what to do. He’s not used to this.”
“I can see that but you have to admit, he was on the brink of strangling you a couple of weeks ago. They literally had to check if you were still breathing. Aren’t you a little bit scared of getting in the ring with him on Sunday? I mean it’s a match where you literally have to choke the other man out. What’s stopping him from just finishing what he started?”
Kemp snarls. “People shouldn’t be scared of what he’s going to do. They should be scared of what I am going to do. Did Walter have me in a bad way? Yes. Was I on the brink of dying? Yes. Am I scared? Hell no. Not in the slightest. I am better than Walter. I’ve proved it once and I’m going to prove it again. I didn’t work this hard to get the United States Title to lose it after a few weeks. I’m no one hit wonder and when Walter said I would never choke him out again, well I took that as a challenge. A challenge to shut him up once and for all. People shouldn’t be scared for me. I’m going to be fine.”
“Well I wish you luck my man! You and I both know I’m rooting for you but that’s all about business. Let’s get into some of the other stuff. How are things going personally? Obviously you’ve been through a lot over the years. You lost your parents, you got banned from baseball, the problems with the Kemp Foundation, you just had to fire your manager for embezzlement. That’s a laundry list of bad shit and you are still moving forward.”
Kemp laughs. “Wow you really ran all the highlights there. Well lowlights I guess. I’m doing good! I’ve obviously grown up a lot over the past couple of years and I’ve been able to get my mind right. As you know I moved to right outside of Omaha and that was a huge help. I live in a house in the country and I’m able to reset my mind when I head back there. Living in the big city of Chicago was great but there were to many temptations for me to fall back into there. It’s been a giant part of my development and now I’m beginning to feel like the man I always thought I would be.”
“That’s really great! I remember meeting you about six years ago and I liked you but didn’t like you. Does that make sense?”
Kemp snickers. “Yeah it does. I actually hear that a lot. So many people tell me I was the nicest dick they’d ever met. I guess I had really mastered that art.”
“That’s exactly right! You were so nice but some of the things you’d say in between the nice things made me cringe. However in the last few years we’ve seen each other on the road and at a few different events so we’ve been able to keep tabs on each other. I’m really happy I could have you on today man.”
“It was a pleasure man. I obviously have a lot of time on the road so I listen to your podcast all the time. I was pleasantly surprised when you asked me to be a guest. I think I’m the first pro wrestler to have been on here!”
“That you are. Well Kyle Kemp it has been an honor sir.”
“Thanks again for having me on Dax.” The theme for Armchair Expert begins to play and we fade away.
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Wednesday August 14
8:30 PM
Kemp is shown sitting at the bar in his hotel, waiting for Aaron to show up for their meeting. They were going to meet at Aaron’s office but he insisted on getting a drink instead. That was definitely not a good sign. Kemp took a sip of his Glenlivet 15 on the rocks when Aaron saddled up next to him. He looked at the bartender. “I’ll have what he’s having.”
Kemp looks at him with a grin. “Bad day?”
“For you and me.”
Kemp groans. “Oh God….what now?”
“Well Camila is a giant cunt for one.”
“I could’ve told you that.”
“Yeah well she’s lowballing you still. She says one win isn’t enough for your extension.”
Kemp shrugs. “I assumed that was coming. It’ll be fine.”
Aaron looks at Kemp with annoyance. “Fine? It’ll be fine?”
“I’m going to win again. How many wins does she want?”
Aaron downs his scotch. “Just one. She wants you to win this match with Walter. She says if you can choke him out a second time than you will have earned your contract.”
“Well that’s not so bad.”
“Except he tried to kill you a couple weeks ago!”
Kemp puts up a finger. “That means nothing. He got the jump on me! I’ll be fine!”
“You are going to have to choke him out again! Do you realize how hard that was last time?”
Kemp puts his hand on Aaron’s shoulder. “I promise you it will be fine. I am ready. My body has recovered and I’m ready to go. Walter is going to go down. Mark my words….I will put him down one more time.”
“Yeah I heard you say that on that podcast. You do realize Walter is listening to these too right? You’re only pissing him off.”
“Oh I hope so.”
Aaron shakes his head. “You have a fucking death wish.”
“No I have a plan and it’s going smoothly. Walter is going to get so angry that he doesn’t think about anything else except for strangling me.”
“And that’s how he wins the match.”
“No it’s how I pounce. Believe me Aaron. I’m ready for Walter. He doesn’t realize I’m the one in control.” Kemp takes another sip of scotch as we fade away.
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Saturday August 17
4:30 PM
We pick up on Kemp sitting in the top row of the arena in Las Vegas. It’s the night before Uprising and Kemp is smiling. The camera moves around him and points over the top of his head and down at the ring set up at the floor. “Look at the ring down there. A beautiful sight even from up here.” Kemp looks at the seats around him. “Up here is where some of the most rabid fans congregate. The fans that buy their tickets with what little funds they have, just hoping to get to take in the experience of an electric show. These are the types of people that I fight for. These people that use their little left over money after they scrape together the rent just to see us. These are the people that drive me. Their cheers are what helped me beat you last time Walter.”
Kemp points in a circle around him. “These people could be heard as we wrestled and do you know what they were all cheering for? They were cheering for a real United States Champion. They were screaming their lungs out for someone that they could relate to because that’s what the United States Champion should be. A champion for the people and that is what I am.”
Kemp smiles. “Years ago I thought money and fame were all that was important. The amount of zeros at the end of the check were what drove me so with that came a lackadaisical approach to my wrestling. As long as the checks came rolling in that was all that mattered. It wasn’t until my past came back to haunt me in #BeachKrew that I wondered if it had all been worth it. I clearly remember sitting in my hotel room after getting the shit kicked out of me by #BeachKrew and wondering why I was doing this? Was it for the zeros after all? Because the zeros weren’t feeling all that great. I was at a crossroads. I could walk away and live comfortably or I could look deep inside and figure out who I was!”
“That’s when I remembered the few times my Dad was around when I was a kid. We would watch wrestling and hang out. He would pop me a Coke and he’d have a beer. He didn’t show up to my games or take me fishing. He just watched wrestling with me. Those moments were the ones I can look back on and remember fondly of him. That’s why when I asked myself if I wanted to walk away I couldn’t do it. I kept thinking of another kid sitting at home with his father. What if that kid was a fan of mine? What if I was the reason they tuned in? I couldn’t do that to them so I decided to not only stay but dedicate myself more than I ever had.”
Kemp purses his lips with emotion. “I decided to stay and be someone those people could look up to. I wanted to not be the guy that people had long thought I was. I always knew I could be better and I was going to be better. I’ve spent the better part of this year working on myself and things are moving in the right direction. I have learned to love myself after so many years of hate. I’ve gotten into the best shape of my life. Oh and I have this!”
Kemp pulls out the United States Title belt and puts it on his shoulder as he stands up and starts walking down to the ring. “Do you see this Walter? This is what hard work, passion and giving max effort looks like. This is what heart looks like! This is what America looks like! You say you want this belt back but why? You don’t represent anything that has anything to do with America. You just represent what’s wrong.”
“You are the grimy underbelly of America. You think you can get what you want by pushing people around. You talk about the violence that drives you and how you are an evolved man but those are all just things you say to feel better about yourself! You think that being the biggest and baddest earns you something. That’s the only reason why you want this belt back. You think you deserve it but you should really be scared of it.”
Kemp smiles. “Or be scared of me which you are Walter. Don’t try and tell me you aren’t. I saw it in your eyes as I watched the end of our match at Carnage. I saw your eyes widen as I jumped on your back and you realized I wasn’t going to fall down like all the rest. I saw it when you saw I wasn’t going to give up! Do you know how you beat a bully Walter? You walk right up to him and punch him in the mouth. Well I did just that except I took it a step further and I choked you out! And do you know what I get by doing so? I get your spirit. I get that aura of invincibility.”
“You see I showed everyone that you are just like everyone else and that you can be beaten. That is the real reason you want this match. You want to get that back. You want to blow it off like it was some fluke. The truth is that I just may be better than you. Did you ever think of that Walter? Did it ever occur in your tiny brain that my experience, resilience and drive was too much for you? Because it crosses my mind every day.”
Kemp smirks. “I think of that as I hear everyone tell me I should be scared to get in the ring with you after you almost killed me a couple weeks ago. I think of that because I know deep down you are too. You are scared that I will fully wipe away the mystique of Walter and all that will be left is the same insecure little boy that you once were. That is why I will be more than happy to sign the waiver for this match because I know you won’t beat me.”
“What I do know is that I’m going to be the United States Champion when Uprising is all said and done. Some say that Uprising is named for those that are trying to break through in the All In match but the truth is that I’m the one that is going to lead the uprising of Action Wrestling and their fans. No longer will we be held silent and no longer will we allow people like Walter push us around. This match is for everyone that has been held down and everyone that has let people like Walter walk all over them. I’m going to go out there and prove once and for all that I’m better than Walter. You hear that Walter! I’m better than you!” Kemp smirks as he hops over the guardrail. He slides into the ring and holds the title above his head. “You hear me Walter! I’m better than you! Tomorrow night I end this and prove it. Get ready Walter because I’m coming for you!” Kemp holds up one finger. “I take that back. We’re coming for you!” The lights turn up as we see fans begin to flood into the arena and around the ring, cheering. Kemp raises the title as the fans keep going crazy as we fade away.