Post by Kyle Kemp on Aug 7, 2022 13:54:32 GMT -5
The heat of the humid, Nebraska summer air hits my body as I walked out of the parking garage and Omaha. This is one of those days where I wonder why I live here. It’s sticky. It’s gross. And I have to smell awful.
If it was up to me I would’ve just stayed home. But it’s not up to me. At least I say it’s not up to me. It’s time for another session. Did I want to come? No. Do I need to come? Yes.
After last night I may need it more than ever.
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All In is still three weeks away and many of us have already qualified with a few more to join. So what does that mean for the rest of us? It means the usual “let’s throw everyone into a tag team match” trope. Which is fine. I could care less.
My opponents and teammates are gonna treat this like it’s some kind of exhibition to show off why they’re gonna win All In. Not me. I know better. I’m not gonna throw everything I have at this tag team match! Why give everything up right before the biggest match of the year for us?
But that’s why I like to think smarter and not harder.
I know I know. I’m gonna catch a lot of heat from my teammates about what I just said. And no offense boys but unlike you I have nothing to prove here. It’s the benefit of winning this match last year and cashing and being world champion.
The same can’t be said for you CJ. You were in this match last year. Do you remember what happened at the end? Because I do. I’m pretty sure your back does too. I can still hear the sweet sound of that chair smashing into your spine and watching you fall off that ladder. I can still hear the crowd booing as I pulled that briefcase down. And I can still remember your face laying on the canvas looking up to me as I held it over my head. It may be the sweetest moment of my career!
So I guess you have something to prove!
And Jason Cashe definitely has something to prove. I say that with a tad bit of respect Jason. I mean you did beat me at evolution which is an accomplishment. You have defended that CBS championship which is an accomplishment. You did get in this match by beating Dionysus last week which…ok that’s not an accomplishment.
That has nothing to do with you Jason. I’m just not gonna give you credit for it. It could’ve been anyone out there against him last week and that person would’ve won. Why? Because something important was on the line! Everyone knows Dionysus doesn’t win when something is on the line. He is the ultimate choke artist! You didn’t do anything that no one else would’ve done if they were in your spot.
Which means to me you really didn’t earn your shot being in this match. The rest of us beat legitimate competitors to be here. You just got handed a gift! So go out there on Monday and prove me wrong. Show me you deserve to be here!
While you two are doing that I’ll be leaning against the ropes watching. Bring it home boys!
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The stickiness of the Nebraska night clings to my body. I’m sitting on the back porch of my house and staring off into the distance. A small fire is going in a burn barrel in front of me and a beer sits on my hand.
And I like this might be considered boring by some people but for someone who didn’t know if they would how many more nights this is amazing. Tait sits next to me and has a beer in his hand as well.
You seem like you’re doing better.
I look at them and can’t help but smile.
Thanks man. I feel like I’m doing better. There are just some days where things just aren’t all there.
What do you mean?
What do you mean?
I mean, it’s just I have those moments where things come back to me and I remember everything that happened and I just can’t make myself feel better. Just get down and start to believe that everything‘s not gonna be ok. One small moment can happen in the day and I’m right back there in that basement.
I can feel Tait‘s face turn as he looks at me. This is the first time I’ve even admitted that I was in a basement.
But the more you talk about it and the more that you let everyone know that it doesn’t bother you maybe it gets better.
I don’t think so. It’s not letting everyone know what bothers me. It’s trying to stop the triggers that set me off.
But what are the triggers?
I don’t know. I can’t tell you all of them. It can be anything. Hell a piece of ice brushed against my skin the other day and I was right there freezing. I remember it all. I know some people say they black out things that happen to them in captivity but I didn’t. It’s all right there.
It's at this moment where one of the triggers kicks in as the fire sparks up quickly and an ember from the fire lands on my arm. My mind goes blank and I fall back in my chair as I quickly try to get the ember off me. My mind flashes to hanging in that basement. It flashes to a John standing in front of me with a lighter. He would go around my body and flick it on. He would burn my flesh and laugh. That laughter is ringing in my ears as Tait tries to pull me up.
It's ok! It's ok!
I swing my hand out at him and pop him in the mouth. Obviously it's not on purpose but it happens. Tait staggers back and is holding his mouth as I roll around on the ground. What feels like an eternity passes but my heart rate begins to slow and I calm down. Tait is staring at me and I look up at him. He is shocked at what he sees. This is worse than what he heard about at the coffee shop last month.
I can't look at him. I drop my head and I just say two words.
I'm sorry.
It's ok! It's ok!
I swing my hand out at him and pop him in the mouth. Obviously it's not on purpose but it happens. Tait staggers back and is holding his mouth as I roll around on the ground. What feels like an eternity passes but my heart rate begins to slow and I calm down. Tait is staring at me and I look up at him. He is shocked at what he sees. This is worse than what he heard about at the coffee shop last month.
I can't look at him. I drop my head and I just say two words.
I'm sorry.
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And if you thought my teammates had something to prove, well look at our opponents. All three just got everything handed to them and had to prove nothing to get into this match. You all got here because of favoritism. I believe that. The fans believe it. And deep down all of you do too.
One of you kind of has an excuse for me here and that’s Regan Voorhees. At least you had to beat someone Regan. Even if that someone was a joke.
I can’t think of anyone more overhyped than the Adlers. They haven’t accomplished shit here. They have all this hype. Everyone talks about how cool they are and how exciting they are and then they shit the bed. They don’t win and they don’t get the job done. Hell I don’t even think she acknowledged you had a match it was over so fast.
At least I had to beat someone that tried. Emphasis on try. I know I know you’re gonna give me that spiel about you beating who they put in front of you and that’s great. But that still doesn’t mean you don’t have something to prove.
And I can hear you now. I don’t have to prove anything to Kyle Kemp. You’re right! You don’t. But that little voice of self doubt that’s going to cross your mind as you try to climb up that ladder and grab that briefcase, that’s the voice that you have something to prove to.
I’ll let you think on that. Our other two opponents have everything to prove. Both were handed tickets into this match without even having to compete. Why? Because Pasternak has some kind of weird crush on both of them and decides to throw two undeserving women into the All In match. He does it under the guise of yelling to the sky that they are deserving. We all know they are not. Not by a long shot.
Alice Gemini? She holds a title that she defends against inferior competition. She beats inferior competition when she is also inferior. She is just a tiny bit better than these losers she continues to face. That is not me saying she isn't deserving to be Women's Champion. It's me saying it's a cop out. When does she face the best women here? When does she fight the Lissie Hope's or even the Regan Voorhees? She doesn't. Instead she fights Serenity Holmes and Zara. She holds that title above her head and claims that it means something. That's like holding the World Title and only fighting Chase Jackson. It makes no sense. You aren't the Women's Champion. You are the champion of a small segment that Pasternak wants to keep on television.
That's what you have to prove Alice. Prove that you belong. Prove that you aren't just another pretty face. But you know that. So go out there and do just that at Clash. More power to you. Beat up on CJ and Cashe. See if I care. Prove that you can compete with the men. Prove that you can compete with me.
Last but not least though is you Jill. We meet again. Doesn't it all feel familiar? Doesn't it all feel like old times? CJ, you and me. A briefcase hanging above the ring and all of the power that comes with it. We've been here before and there was only one of us that prevailed. It was me. I won the briefcase. I went All In. I won the World Title. On the other hand is you. You scratched and clawed for the last year just to get back to this spot. Sure you have the United States Title now but what you don't have is what you've wanted since last year. Respect.
Leading into another year of disappointment at All In will be you screaming how you beat me at Spookyclash last year because of Dandy's help and the fluke of eliminating me at Turmoil. I know that's coming. I'm aware of it all. I'm also aware that you didn't win the whole match at Turmoil and you've been screaming for another chance since. Now I stand in your way once again. Primed and ready to repeat the same events of last year. Me winning All in instead of you. Me cashing in instead of you. Me wining the World Title. You being jealous.
Let me fill you in on one thing. Winning the United States Title isn't validation either. You know that. I don't have to say it but I want too. I want too show you that we all know what you already know. You still have so much to prove.
So go out there and prove it everyone. Prove to all of us why you deserve this. There's only one of us that has nothing to prove and that's...
Kyle Kemp
Alice Gemini? She holds a title that she defends against inferior competition. She beats inferior competition when she is also inferior. She is just a tiny bit better than these losers she continues to face. That is not me saying she isn't deserving to be Women's Champion. It's me saying it's a cop out. When does she face the best women here? When does she fight the Lissie Hope's or even the Regan Voorhees? She doesn't. Instead she fights Serenity Holmes and Zara. She holds that title above her head and claims that it means something. That's like holding the World Title and only fighting Chase Jackson. It makes no sense. You aren't the Women's Champion. You are the champion of a small segment that Pasternak wants to keep on television.
That's what you have to prove Alice. Prove that you belong. Prove that you aren't just another pretty face. But you know that. So go out there and do just that at Clash. More power to you. Beat up on CJ and Cashe. See if I care. Prove that you can compete with the men. Prove that you can compete with me.
Last but not least though is you Jill. We meet again. Doesn't it all feel familiar? Doesn't it all feel like old times? CJ, you and me. A briefcase hanging above the ring and all of the power that comes with it. We've been here before and there was only one of us that prevailed. It was me. I won the briefcase. I went All In. I won the World Title. On the other hand is you. You scratched and clawed for the last year just to get back to this spot. Sure you have the United States Title now but what you don't have is what you've wanted since last year. Respect.
Leading into another year of disappointment at All In will be you screaming how you beat me at Spookyclash last year because of Dandy's help and the fluke of eliminating me at Turmoil. I know that's coming. I'm aware of it all. I'm also aware that you didn't win the whole match at Turmoil and you've been screaming for another chance since. Now I stand in your way once again. Primed and ready to repeat the same events of last year. Me winning All in instead of you. Me cashing in instead of you. Me wining the World Title. You being jealous.
Let me fill you in on one thing. Winning the United States Title isn't validation either. You know that. I don't have to say it but I want too. I want too show you that we all know what you already know. You still have so much to prove.
So go out there and prove it everyone. Prove to all of us why you deserve this. There's only one of us that has nothing to prove and that's...
Kyle Kemp
