Post by ꜰᴏʀᴛɪᴛᴜᴅᴇ on Dec 11, 2021 18:36:29 GMT -5
 The adrenaline from our Turmoil victory is still coursing through my veins, it’s helped me have a rather productive week in the gym, training for Fortitude’s first co-main event match. But now I’m waiting on a call from Sam and Zo to see which one of the two lovebirds will be tagging with me. I’m excited to tag with either because on Monday, we get to start our campaign to show our worth, hoping to earn a future shot at Vanguard’s Titles. That campaign starts against the team who unsuccessfully challenged for those titles at Turmoil: Dangerous Gentleman. An intriguing team; newly formed like ourselves, but I’m very familiar with both individuals as singles stars. Myself and Robbie, or Robert as he now goes by, we ran in similar circles during his excursion to the UK. He’s someone who excites me and one I hope to face off against one-on-one in the future. But for now, I’m more focused on Hector Crowley. Look at us Hector, we both made it over to the States, and we avoided an ill-fated trip on the Titanic to get here. Yeah, I know it sank over a hundred years ago, it was a figure of speech to show us Brits travelling over to the States to start a new life. Like Robert, I’m familiar too with Hector. In fact, I’d say I know more about Hector than the young American lion. Hector’s a vet of the UK scene; we were in many buildings together during his time back home whilst I was learning the craft. Hector wrestled in many of the rings I helped put up. He was a bit of a salty bastard though and didn’t really give us new recruits the time of day. That’s what caught me by surprise when I learned he signed a contract with Action in a team with Robert - I couldn’t envision old Heccie bringing Robert under his learning tree. I’m not going to go as far as Downfall did and claim he’s almost grooming Robert, but yeah, perhaps Hector’s clinging onto his coat tail slightly. I guess at this point in one’s career, you’d be willing to do anything to cross the pond, yes? If Hector stares at his pocket watch anymore, he’d see his time is very quickly slipping away. I too have left our homeland behind, but more akin to Hector’s partner; I’m paying my dues with air miles, travelling the world whilst honing my craft. I’ve witnessed what happens to our fellow countrymen when they don’t go that extra mile; they get stuck, trapped, their talent never gets spotted, their dreams go unrealised. Mr Brilliant; someone I know Hector admires and has taken many of Brilliant’s move set as his own, is somewhat of a legend back home, but never made it big here where it counts. I’m not disparaging Mr Brilliant; he truly was brilliant, or is - he’s not dead. I had the utmost pleasure of spending a week training with the legend I know personally as Paul whilst I was a student at The Pit, he and my trainer Jack were like brothers. My whole grappling offence was born from those sessions spent with Paul, I wonder if Hector even knows that? I bet that would irk him somewhat, knowing I was a student under the man he idolises. I know for certain Paul would not approve of Dangerous Gentleman wrestling in slacks; come on chaps, lose the evening attire and wear appropriate gear. Paul also taught me the importance of match preparation. The time spent in the gym, back home at The Pit, and now with Mick at Tap or Snap is so very important. You cannot simply do a quick search on YouTube and expect to walk in and win a title in Action. You’ve got to work hard, grinding throughout the week under a strict training regime with your match plan being recited over and over in your head like that irritating elevator music one must endure. This is the difference between being a former TV Champion, the current PWV SotF Champion and an individual such as Hector. It’s impressive they’ve had two opportunities at the Tag Titles in recent months, but failure to prepare was ultimately what ended the Gentleman's title aspirations; not the ringing of the timekeeper’s bell, nor The Two Wolves. Hector, you need to get your head out of the newspaper and instead of spending your free time lounging around in hotel bars; go back to the gym and prepare better. I spotted them both sitting in the bar the other day whilst I was on my way to grab a last-minute workout. Signing that contract only gets one’s foot in the door; the real hard work begins once you arrive here. Perhaps I need to roll up that newspaper tightly and beat some sense into Hector with it for failing to get Robert and himself prepared enough for their two title opportunities. Talking about opportunity; on Monday, myself and either Sam or Zooey get to show the division we’re a serious threat. I once spotted Hector raving at a hotel bar on a separate occasion about the state of the tag division. If he’d looked up from his newspaper more often, Hector would’ve seen that a groundswell of teams was forming. Now a once barren looking division is fresh with new challengers, new matchups. Dangerous Gentleman’s road to a third title shot has suddenly become tougher. Perhaps rather than looking in the mirror adjusting that stupid moustache; Hector should’ve been looking over his shoulder because Fortitude is here, and we’re ready to shake things up. Ooh speaking of which… Katherine’s phone rings; she quickly pulls it out of her locker where she’d been standing whilst deep in thought. She smiles after seeing Zooey’s name on the screen, sliding her finger across to answer the call. She’s met with the face of Zooey, full of warmth and radiance; she positively glows as she waves at the camera and starts to talk. Nothing comes from Katherine’s speakers; The English Rose chuckles. “You’re on mute! I can’t hear you!” She says as Zooey wildly gesticulates. Zooey stops, looks at her iPad, shakes her head and unmutes herself. “Oh! Yeah, it would definitely help if I wasn’t such a bonehead. Hi! How are you!?” Zooey doesn’t quite ask, but more demands as if this was the only important thing in her life. “I’m fine thanks, how are you?! No Sam?” Zooey shakes her head. She looks earnestly into the camera and leans in conspiratorially. “Top secret: Die Hard 2’s been greenlit. He’s got a meeting with the producers, but no one can know. Well, apart from us but y’know, this is what he gets for proposing!” “Mum’s the word!” “So with that bit of info, I guess I can ask you a question”. “Yes?” “What has two thumbs, a killer collection of care bears and is your partner on Monday?” She says whilst pointing to herself with both thumbs, joy bursting out of every pore. “Hmmm, it’s Christmas… Santa?” “I wish! I mean wouldn’t it be awesome to be Santa, I’d love it. I‘ve been an elf; that was fun. But yay! I get to team with you on Monday, are you ready? I’m so hyped it’s unreal”. “I can tell! You need to conserve some energy though for the Dangerous Gentlemen!” “True, they’re dangerous after all! Gentlemen? Sure, I guess. I don’t really know them well enough to make that call though, do you?” “Well, yes, but not as a team. I worked on a few cards with Robbie whilst he was on his excursion. He showed lot’s of potential, but was quite hard on himself. Hector, on the other hand, I had the unfortunate privilege of spending more time with him”. Katherine mimics pointing a gun to her head using her index finger. She gestures pulling the trigger whilst making a funny face; Zooey snort laughs. After laughing herself for a moment; Katherine regains her composure. “But as a team; I’ve only seen glimpses. I saw them at Turmoil, but between the CVO fiasco and dealing with those Team Extreme jerks, no”. “That’s the problem. We don’t really know what they’re about, other than they took Vanguard to the limit; that in itself is impressive. Sam won’t ever agree with that notion obviously; Vanguard took the title off him after all, but anyone who goes toe-to-toe with them is gonna be hella tough. But you know what? We got this. For everything they have going for them: they’re hungry, new, they want to go to the top and almost got there in record time. Yet, they don’t have the same thing we do”. “They don’t have the fortitude to pick themselves up and go again when they have a disappointment. Well, maybe Crowley does, he’s a Brit, after all. You guys are built to endure everything and you don’t have his career without having something about you. But Benedict? I’m not too sure about him. He’s young, strong and has been described as the brawn of the two. He’s a great athlete and man, has all the talent to burn. Even I can see that and I’m one of the most rookie rookies you can imagine! But you know what I was taught from day one?” “Suplexes?” “Well, that was like day three I think? Villaneuva put me through about a thousand of those Germans. But no! I was taught from the start about the heart of a warrior. He taught me not only how to focus, to get in the zone and get my mind space ready to kick some ass. He taught me how to see your opponent’s mind space too. Just by looking at them you know if you’ve won or not like 95% of the time. If they’re nervous they fidget, if they’re too angry, their muscles are tense and they won’t look at anything other than their opponent. That kinda thing”. “If they’re confident, in the zone, ready to fight and know they can beat you, they’re relaxed, confident yet you can see on their face they’re in a mood to hurt you”. “You learned that before you learned any moves or anything?” “Yeah, but anyway, one of the great things about being around this industry and not being a fighter for a long time is you see everything. While Sam gets tunnel vision and focuses on his opponent before a match, I can see what’s really going on. Let me tell you that Benedict, well, he’s not entirely in the warrior headspace”. “He was always crippled by self-doubt”. “Absolutely! I can tell by his body language; doubt is the killer in any fight. If you let doubt creep into your head then you’re pretty much gone and you won’t ever come back from it. Like Mr Miyagi says in Karate Kid, You karate go yes, or you karate go no. You karate go so so ‘squish’ just like grapes”. “I’m absolutely sure he’ll be a great star when he learns to overcome his doubts. I’m sure he’ll go on to have a great career, but right now? I don’t think he’s ready to take on two women who believe in themselves and each other. Unfortunately, I don’t believe he has the fortitude. When it comes to a team you can’t have a single weak link. If one member doubts themselves and doesn’t know what to do when it comes to the point you have to dig deep and bring yourself back from the brink, then you’re in trouble!” Katherine is listening intently but sees a notification flash at the top of the screen. A small smile forms on her face, but then she gasps. “Gosh, that’s the time? I’m sorry Zo, but I’ve gotta run!” Katherine is very apologetic; Zooey smirks back knowingly, “It’s fine. I kinda got ahead of myself anyway! You go, we’ll chat later!” |
