Post by Sam Kidsgrove on Sept 4, 2022 6:58:52 GMT -5
“I’m so sorry we’re late” says a rather flustered Kidsgrove, as he and Zooey arrive at the restaurant, 35 minutes later than arranged. Vaggelis simply smiles and stands up, shaking his hand. He introduces his Wife, Nikita. “No problem” he says. “We only just got here ourselves.”
“You already know Zooey,” Sam says, shaking Nikita’s hand, Vaggelis and Nikita greet her and the two couples all sit down.
“So, what’s up?” Kidsgrove asks immediately as Zooey starts small talk with Nikita.
“You Americans, or is this the British side of you? I can never tell where you are from my friend.”
“I gave up my UK citizenship so yeah American is fine. You called me - I trust you remember I’m out of the business and I’m not available for casting.”
“You are always so eager to talk business with Americans. In Greece we like to take our time, talk business over a meal.”
“I know, but y’know, if you’re here to cast me then I’d rather save your time and just have a nice meal with good company.”
Vaggelis smiles and grabs an olive from the bowl on the table, he pops it into his mouth and chews for a while, still smiling.
“I like you Sam, I…”
“Is this a casting call or not?” Sam asks as he starts to stand to leave.
“Sit down young man, no. It’s something else, but I admire your commitment. You are truly retired! This is great!”
“Great that I’m retired?” Sam says as he sits back down, rather puzzled.
“In a way, but we’ll get to that later. Have some Olive bread, it’s so good!”
“Thanks, I’ll pass though, can’t really have too many carbs while I’m training. Plus, y’know Diabetes.”
“Ah yes, you westerners with your shitty diets and your stress levels through the roof. Thessaloniki? We don’t have that. Only sunshine and Olives.”
“No work either, that’s why you’re here.”
Vaggelis laughs, heartily. “Yes! This is why I like you! You know what’s up! But yeah, I understand you training - you got that big match right?”
“Yeah, Dion and Alexandra Calaway.”
“Such a good, strong Greek name Alexandra. You know where it came from?”
“You’ve mentioned it a couple hundred times.”
“Well Alexander the great! One of the best Greeks in history!”
“No shit?!”
“I feel you are mocking me.”
“No Vaggelis, would I ever do that? Besides, I’m more of a fan of mythology. You know Heracles and the Pantheon. That kinda stuff?
My favourite, that I was told when I was a kid, was the story about Heracles and the Olive trees. Do you remember this one?”
“No? At least I can’t remember it told by my parents - what is it?”
“Well it wasn’t about Heracles as such, he was telling it though - apparently a farmer came to Heracles and he was looking for his grove of olive trees. Literally all of them were gone and he was like “What is going on?” So Heracles asked Hestia if she knew. Hestia at first thought it was Athena and Poseidon, because they once had a bet. You see they were claiming villages as their own when they were built, the first one to claim it and have a temple in their name won that village.. Athena was taking it seriously because she takes her job seriously but Poseidon just wanted presents. One time they both claimed a village at the same time so Poseidon gave them the option, him or Athena. The village was a coastal village so he naturally thought they’d go with him, being god of the sea and all. But they couldn’t decide - so he and Athena decided to have yet another bet. Whoever the village thought gave them the best gift won the village right?
Anyway, Poseidon created a stream from a mountain nearby. Fresh water is important, right?
Anyway, Poseidon didn’t realise they needed fresh water and created it from the sea - it was salt water. Athena created an Olive tree.”
“Ah yes, I remember this, that’s how Athens got its name! Poseidon declared her the winner and they named the place after her”
“Yeah. But that’s not what the farmer was looking for, he didn’t care about the first tree of Athens - he cared about his whole grove going missing! So Heracles asked again, who could have taken it.
Hestia thought for a while then she remembered that Athena told her a couple of days ago about a bet she had with Dionysus. A new town was built and they both wanted it. Athena challenged Dionysus to the same sort of bet as Poseidon.
She gave the town a grove of Olive trees, knowing Dionysus wouldn’t just go with one. Sure enough Dionysus gave the town a grove of grapevines.The town chose Athena because farmers were good with grapevines but villagers need lumber and food right now, so it made more sense.
Either way, shortly after they chose Athena, Dionysus went off in a sulk and took his grapevines with him.
Well that’s just Dionysus for you. That one story encapsulates everything wrong with him. I’m facing Dionysus this Monday night you see, and quite honestly the guy is exactly the same.
When things don’t go his way, he goes and sulks, taking all his things with him. We’ve seen it before - he wanted to be number one in the Havoc match. Threatened to quit and take his grapes home if he didn’t. He wanted to go on a huge run and win the World title. Didn’t, then went missing.
Latest one is after his partner outshone him - became the world champion and outgrew their little team he went off and sulked for a bit, coming back with another attempt at another run at another world title opportunity that he won’t take advantage of. The year of wine and roses? Sounds nice right? After all they’re two of the staples of a good life, historically. If you have wine and roses - then you’re doing well for yourself. It’s the ultimate goal in ancient civilisations.
I get it. He wants to hit the top of the food chain, he wants to be sitting there on Mount Olympus as THE man. Not the best bud of the man, just the man.
Thing is though, we’re walking parallel paths. What he wants, I want. What he thinks he’s getting is mine. We’re both looking at villages like Athena and Poseidon. We’re both eyeing up our goals and our targets and we’re going for the same damn thing.
Problem he has is, I’m not Poseidon, I’m not Dionysus. I’m a god of goddamn war. I’m offering the people what they want, hell, I’m giving them what they need and I am damn well winning this little bet because I can’t afford not to. You see, this is why I’m not doing acting work right now. I have a contract issue that I have to resolve. I can’t just walk away from AW with everything I built in February with nothing to show for it. I have to go out there and beat the best. I have to go out there and fulfil my legacy, and just because Dion is trying to do the same thing doesn’t mean I have to let him. Just because Dion is going through his year of wine and Roses, doesn’t mean I have to respect that. After the Vanguard coasted over the past year based on my name I see it like this.
He’s like wine - when you pick up a glass of wine you get friendly after a couple, you get happy with it. It’s your pal, drink a bit too much of it and you get sick of it. Same with Dion. He’s good in bursts but you don’t wanna see too much of him because you get sick of him. Hell ask Downfall that, I’m sure their “amicable” divorce was just positively 50/50 and not the result of Downfall just waking up one day with a massive headache and thinking “You know, this just isn’t worth the fucking hassle.”
Whereas me? I’m more like a rose. People look at me, think I look weak, look me up in the record books and think “I can take that, it’s easy, who hasn’t already done it?”
Then you grasp me and I cut you the fuck up, because I don’t take any shit from anyone, especially some jackass who got lucky because Dandy fucking DiVito blindsided me and forced me into a tag team with him so he could use me as a stepping stone to the title.
Again.
And if Dion thinks that this year is going to be his year, and that he can use this match as a springboard to get himself in the Main Event picture then I’m afraid that’s just not something I’m inclined to accept.”
Vaggelis laughs again, wagging his finger at Kidsgrove.
“You have a Spartan spirit in you! This, this I like. I’ve not seen this before! You’ll need it to refuse what I’m gonna offer you guys!”
“Yeah what is it you want from me anyway?” Kidsgrove still wonders why the heck he’s been summoned.
“Well, I.”
They’re interrupted by the waiter.
“Hi, would you guys like to order?”
“Mezze for the table I think yeah?” Says Vaggelis, immediately. Kidsgrove and Zooey look at him. “What? I waited for you, I get to order.”
He looks at the waiter again.
“And water for the table, my friend doesn’t drink wine! He thinks it makes us so friendly we get sick huh!” Vaggelis laughs again. Kidsgrove smiles but shakes his head at the antics, laughing to himself.
“Beating this Dionysus won’t be easy.” He says to Kidsgrove. “He is named after one of our most favoured gods.”
“It’s not just him either. There’s Alexandra.”
“You westerners, pah. Real wrestling is man v man, no others, why do insist with these more is better? No, there’s no reason to bring more people into it.”
“Preaching to the choir here brother. I know what you mean.”
“Who is this other Alexendra anyway, another God? Another warrior? Someone who has the strength of 10 bears?”
“Honestly? She’s a 2nd generation star apparently. She claims she was born into the business but I’ve never heard of her dad or the organisation he worked for. So she might be a fraud, I don’t know. The only thing I do know about her is she came in and immediately won the TV title.
That’s no easy task with how stacked our roster is but she did it. This means she’s not too shabby, regardless of whether or not she’s lying.”
“I don’t like people who lie about where they come from, it’s unclean. We don’t do that in Greece, why lie?”
“I don’t know, some people just come from broken homes I guess - family isn’t as strong over here as it is in Greece, you know this being on your third wife and everything.”
This leads to a massive roar of a laugh by Vaggelis who appreciates the irony of what he’s saying.
“True! Yet this one is a keeper, yes!” He motions to the girls, who are still deep in their own discussions. “When are you marrying this one?”
Kidsgrove smiles, genuinely warm while thinking about it.
“Who says we aren’t already? I mean you don’t need a ring or a piece of paper to devote your life to someone, right?”
“You marry this girl, else she’ll get away! Unless you’re keeping your options open. Maybe you want this Greek Girl Alexandra hah!?”
“Let’s make things absolutely crystal clear” Kidsgrove says, eyes hardening a little bit. “My love for Zooey is unconditional. Just think of this woman as a block in my road. Not a big one, mind, the woman is tiny.
Like Dion, like me, she’s at a crossroads as well. She’s following a journey, she wants to be where she wants to be and she’s just lost the one thing that’s defined her to date as a woman in her own right, not the daughter of a pretend wrestler that I’m not even sure exists.
She’s currently wondering where she’s going and what she needs to do to figure it out. Should she go all in with going back for the TV title? Should she move on up to maybe the US division or Hardcore or whatever she wants? She needs to work out these questions and more.
I know one of my own stories about this kinda thing. I call it the tale of the crossroads.
You see once, there was a young man, he had everything in his life, despite coming from a place where his parents would routinely dress him up and parade him in front of the world for their own self esteem issues. He had money, he had fame, he had power and fortune well beyond even his own parents' hopes and dreams. You see, even though it wasn’t his choice that his parents made him dress up and pretend to be someone else for the world, he was good at it. Some might say too good. So the people flocked to see him - this child wonder and prodigy who had it all.
Years passed and he was never out of the light, but it was ill suited for him, he didn’t like it - it kinda burned him a little bit.”
“Like Ikarus!”
“A bit, you could say he flew too close to the sun. Either way, he started to resent his life. He wanted nothing more than peace and quiet, so he built a house on a remote beach where he could get away and forget the world for a while.
But when he went to this beach he realised he couldn’t cope without the thrill of competition or people screaming his name. So he learned how to fight, he learned how to defend himself against the constant pressure of fame and fortune. He learned how to be at peace with himself and went back to step foot in the light again, this time better equipped than he ever has been. He went in search of new challenges, new adventures. He became a Gladiator and won many titles across the region.
Then one day they stopped coming.
He still won matches but the opportunities for titles didn’t come. He still did his best, but a new group of gladiators came through and they, being shiny and new, were focussed on by the arena managers instead, thinking they would bring more money and prestige to the arena because they were new and fresh.
The audience didn’t like this though, they liked when their hero was given chances against all the odds.
Now there was a new gladiator that came into the arena, she had told the Arena masters that she was a daughter of one of the biggest names in history and had travelled from afar to compete against the best.
The masters loved this idea and gave her everything she ever wanted immediately, giving her a title she didn’t deserve.
Now the audience, who can never be fooled, didn’t like this. You see, unlike the masters, they actually paid attention to what happened outside the arena walls and they had never heard of this guy she claimed to have been a daughter of. They also resented that immediately the woman was given titles and honours, even though one of their favourites was being told he was going to be released pretty soon and to not expect anything in the way of honours or even good fights.
Upon hearing this, the Gladiator took matters into his own hands. He challenged every single gladiator to hand to hand combat and went through the ranks of these new people - to see how good they are. Some passed the test, others didn’t. Some went to move on to big things and await the Gladiator for their rematch, which legitimises them, some left the arena to elsewhere, reputation shattered after being destroyed in front of thousands of people.
Now it’s the turn of the woman to face that Gladiator. Will she pass the test and go on to other things? Or will she do what so many more have done and be humiliated in front of thousands of people then go away and sulk, taking her grapevines home with her like so many more people before?
My bet is on the latter. Because if she has any gumption about her she would have risen to the occasion by now and taken her titles to new heights. She would have stood loud and proud at the top of her mountain and beaten anyone who came her way, not letting herself be distracted by the past.
Now I know, beating everyone is an unreasonable expectation. I should know, I don’t beat everyone. But if you are not wanting to be defined by the title you hold, then you should not hold it.
If you don’t want to be defined by the title you once held, then you shouldn’t be trying your hardest to get it back.
I have been accused of this very thing myself. Yes I was defined by my US title reigns. Yes I wanted to represent that division as its head for so very long and I was damn good at it. Record breaking in fact.
But now, at the crossroads as all three of us are, I am moving on forwards. I’ve decided the path I’m going to take, I know which village I am going to claim as my own and I am not standing there looking backwards, yearning for what was.
I know who I am and I know where I’m going to be - that is the guy who takes Gerard Angelo down. And you still haven’t told me what you asked me here for.”
“You already know Zooey,” Sam says, shaking Nikita’s hand, Vaggelis and Nikita greet her and the two couples all sit down.
“So, what’s up?” Kidsgrove asks immediately as Zooey starts small talk with Nikita.
“You Americans, or is this the British side of you? I can never tell where you are from my friend.”
“I gave up my UK citizenship so yeah American is fine. You called me - I trust you remember I’m out of the business and I’m not available for casting.”
“You are always so eager to talk business with Americans. In Greece we like to take our time, talk business over a meal.”
“I know, but y’know, if you’re here to cast me then I’d rather save your time and just have a nice meal with good company.”
Vaggelis smiles and grabs an olive from the bowl on the table, he pops it into his mouth and chews for a while, still smiling.
“I like you Sam, I…”
“Is this a casting call or not?” Sam asks as he starts to stand to leave.
“Sit down young man, no. It’s something else, but I admire your commitment. You are truly retired! This is great!”
“Great that I’m retired?” Sam says as he sits back down, rather puzzled.
“In a way, but we’ll get to that later. Have some Olive bread, it’s so good!”
“Thanks, I’ll pass though, can’t really have too many carbs while I’m training. Plus, y’know Diabetes.”
“Ah yes, you westerners with your shitty diets and your stress levels through the roof. Thessaloniki? We don’t have that. Only sunshine and Olives.”
“No work either, that’s why you’re here.”
Vaggelis laughs, heartily. “Yes! This is why I like you! You know what’s up! But yeah, I understand you training - you got that big match right?”
“Yeah, Dion and Alexandra Calaway.”
“Such a good, strong Greek name Alexandra. You know where it came from?”
“You’ve mentioned it a couple hundred times.”
“Well Alexander the great! One of the best Greeks in history!”
“No shit?!”
“I feel you are mocking me.”
“No Vaggelis, would I ever do that? Besides, I’m more of a fan of mythology. You know Heracles and the Pantheon. That kinda stuff?
My favourite, that I was told when I was a kid, was the story about Heracles and the Olive trees. Do you remember this one?”
“No? At least I can’t remember it told by my parents - what is it?”
“Well it wasn’t about Heracles as such, he was telling it though - apparently a farmer came to Heracles and he was looking for his grove of olive trees. Literally all of them were gone and he was like “What is going on?” So Heracles asked Hestia if she knew. Hestia at first thought it was Athena and Poseidon, because they once had a bet. You see they were claiming villages as their own when they were built, the first one to claim it and have a temple in their name won that village.. Athena was taking it seriously because she takes her job seriously but Poseidon just wanted presents. One time they both claimed a village at the same time so Poseidon gave them the option, him or Athena. The village was a coastal village so he naturally thought they’d go with him, being god of the sea and all. But they couldn’t decide - so he and Athena decided to have yet another bet. Whoever the village thought gave them the best gift won the village right?
Anyway, Poseidon created a stream from a mountain nearby. Fresh water is important, right?
Anyway, Poseidon didn’t realise they needed fresh water and created it from the sea - it was salt water. Athena created an Olive tree.”
“Ah yes, I remember this, that’s how Athens got its name! Poseidon declared her the winner and they named the place after her”
“Yeah. But that’s not what the farmer was looking for, he didn’t care about the first tree of Athens - he cared about his whole grove going missing! So Heracles asked again, who could have taken it.
Hestia thought for a while then she remembered that Athena told her a couple of days ago about a bet she had with Dionysus. A new town was built and they both wanted it. Athena challenged Dionysus to the same sort of bet as Poseidon.
She gave the town a grove of Olive trees, knowing Dionysus wouldn’t just go with one. Sure enough Dionysus gave the town a grove of grapevines.The town chose Athena because farmers were good with grapevines but villagers need lumber and food right now, so it made more sense.
Either way, shortly after they chose Athena, Dionysus went off in a sulk and took his grapevines with him.
Well that’s just Dionysus for you. That one story encapsulates everything wrong with him. I’m facing Dionysus this Monday night you see, and quite honestly the guy is exactly the same.
When things don’t go his way, he goes and sulks, taking all his things with him. We’ve seen it before - he wanted to be number one in the Havoc match. Threatened to quit and take his grapes home if he didn’t. He wanted to go on a huge run and win the World title. Didn’t, then went missing.
Latest one is after his partner outshone him - became the world champion and outgrew their little team he went off and sulked for a bit, coming back with another attempt at another run at another world title opportunity that he won’t take advantage of. The year of wine and roses? Sounds nice right? After all they’re two of the staples of a good life, historically. If you have wine and roses - then you’re doing well for yourself. It’s the ultimate goal in ancient civilisations.
I get it. He wants to hit the top of the food chain, he wants to be sitting there on Mount Olympus as THE man. Not the best bud of the man, just the man.
Thing is though, we’re walking parallel paths. What he wants, I want. What he thinks he’s getting is mine. We’re both looking at villages like Athena and Poseidon. We’re both eyeing up our goals and our targets and we’re going for the same damn thing.
Problem he has is, I’m not Poseidon, I’m not Dionysus. I’m a god of goddamn war. I’m offering the people what they want, hell, I’m giving them what they need and I am damn well winning this little bet because I can’t afford not to. You see, this is why I’m not doing acting work right now. I have a contract issue that I have to resolve. I can’t just walk away from AW with everything I built in February with nothing to show for it. I have to go out there and beat the best. I have to go out there and fulfil my legacy, and just because Dion is trying to do the same thing doesn’t mean I have to let him. Just because Dion is going through his year of wine and Roses, doesn’t mean I have to respect that. After the Vanguard coasted over the past year based on my name I see it like this.
He’s like wine - when you pick up a glass of wine you get friendly after a couple, you get happy with it. It’s your pal, drink a bit too much of it and you get sick of it. Same with Dion. He’s good in bursts but you don’t wanna see too much of him because you get sick of him. Hell ask Downfall that, I’m sure their “amicable” divorce was just positively 50/50 and not the result of Downfall just waking up one day with a massive headache and thinking “You know, this just isn’t worth the fucking hassle.”
Whereas me? I’m more like a rose. People look at me, think I look weak, look me up in the record books and think “I can take that, it’s easy, who hasn’t already done it?”
Then you grasp me and I cut you the fuck up, because I don’t take any shit from anyone, especially some jackass who got lucky because Dandy fucking DiVito blindsided me and forced me into a tag team with him so he could use me as a stepping stone to the title.
Again.
And if Dion thinks that this year is going to be his year, and that he can use this match as a springboard to get himself in the Main Event picture then I’m afraid that’s just not something I’m inclined to accept.”
Vaggelis laughs again, wagging his finger at Kidsgrove.
“You have a Spartan spirit in you! This, this I like. I’ve not seen this before! You’ll need it to refuse what I’m gonna offer you guys!”
“Yeah what is it you want from me anyway?” Kidsgrove still wonders why the heck he’s been summoned.
“Well, I.”
They’re interrupted by the waiter.
“Hi, would you guys like to order?”
“Mezze for the table I think yeah?” Says Vaggelis, immediately. Kidsgrove and Zooey look at him. “What? I waited for you, I get to order.”
He looks at the waiter again.
“And water for the table, my friend doesn’t drink wine! He thinks it makes us so friendly we get sick huh!” Vaggelis laughs again. Kidsgrove smiles but shakes his head at the antics, laughing to himself.
“Beating this Dionysus won’t be easy.” He says to Kidsgrove. “He is named after one of our most favoured gods.”
“It’s not just him either. There’s Alexandra.”
“You westerners, pah. Real wrestling is man v man, no others, why do insist with these more is better? No, there’s no reason to bring more people into it.”
“Preaching to the choir here brother. I know what you mean.”
“Who is this other Alexendra anyway, another God? Another warrior? Someone who has the strength of 10 bears?”
“Honestly? She’s a 2nd generation star apparently. She claims she was born into the business but I’ve never heard of her dad or the organisation he worked for. So she might be a fraud, I don’t know. The only thing I do know about her is she came in and immediately won the TV title.
That’s no easy task with how stacked our roster is but she did it. This means she’s not too shabby, regardless of whether or not she’s lying.”
“I don’t like people who lie about where they come from, it’s unclean. We don’t do that in Greece, why lie?”
“I don’t know, some people just come from broken homes I guess - family isn’t as strong over here as it is in Greece, you know this being on your third wife and everything.”
This leads to a massive roar of a laugh by Vaggelis who appreciates the irony of what he’s saying.
“True! Yet this one is a keeper, yes!” He motions to the girls, who are still deep in their own discussions. “When are you marrying this one?”
Kidsgrove smiles, genuinely warm while thinking about it.
“Who says we aren’t already? I mean you don’t need a ring or a piece of paper to devote your life to someone, right?”
“You marry this girl, else she’ll get away! Unless you’re keeping your options open. Maybe you want this Greek Girl Alexandra hah!?”
“Let’s make things absolutely crystal clear” Kidsgrove says, eyes hardening a little bit. “My love for Zooey is unconditional. Just think of this woman as a block in my road. Not a big one, mind, the woman is tiny.
Like Dion, like me, she’s at a crossroads as well. She’s following a journey, she wants to be where she wants to be and she’s just lost the one thing that’s defined her to date as a woman in her own right, not the daughter of a pretend wrestler that I’m not even sure exists.
She’s currently wondering where she’s going and what she needs to do to figure it out. Should she go all in with going back for the TV title? Should she move on up to maybe the US division or Hardcore or whatever she wants? She needs to work out these questions and more.
I know one of my own stories about this kinda thing. I call it the tale of the crossroads.
You see once, there was a young man, he had everything in his life, despite coming from a place where his parents would routinely dress him up and parade him in front of the world for their own self esteem issues. He had money, he had fame, he had power and fortune well beyond even his own parents' hopes and dreams. You see, even though it wasn’t his choice that his parents made him dress up and pretend to be someone else for the world, he was good at it. Some might say too good. So the people flocked to see him - this child wonder and prodigy who had it all.
Years passed and he was never out of the light, but it was ill suited for him, he didn’t like it - it kinda burned him a little bit.”
“Like Ikarus!”
“A bit, you could say he flew too close to the sun. Either way, he started to resent his life. He wanted nothing more than peace and quiet, so he built a house on a remote beach where he could get away and forget the world for a while.
But when he went to this beach he realised he couldn’t cope without the thrill of competition or people screaming his name. So he learned how to fight, he learned how to defend himself against the constant pressure of fame and fortune. He learned how to be at peace with himself and went back to step foot in the light again, this time better equipped than he ever has been. He went in search of new challenges, new adventures. He became a Gladiator and won many titles across the region.
Then one day they stopped coming.
He still won matches but the opportunities for titles didn’t come. He still did his best, but a new group of gladiators came through and they, being shiny and new, were focussed on by the arena managers instead, thinking they would bring more money and prestige to the arena because they were new and fresh.
The audience didn’t like this though, they liked when their hero was given chances against all the odds.
Now there was a new gladiator that came into the arena, she had told the Arena masters that she was a daughter of one of the biggest names in history and had travelled from afar to compete against the best.
The masters loved this idea and gave her everything she ever wanted immediately, giving her a title she didn’t deserve.
Now the audience, who can never be fooled, didn’t like this. You see, unlike the masters, they actually paid attention to what happened outside the arena walls and they had never heard of this guy she claimed to have been a daughter of. They also resented that immediately the woman was given titles and honours, even though one of their favourites was being told he was going to be released pretty soon and to not expect anything in the way of honours or even good fights.
Upon hearing this, the Gladiator took matters into his own hands. He challenged every single gladiator to hand to hand combat and went through the ranks of these new people - to see how good they are. Some passed the test, others didn’t. Some went to move on to big things and await the Gladiator for their rematch, which legitimises them, some left the arena to elsewhere, reputation shattered after being destroyed in front of thousands of people.
Now it’s the turn of the woman to face that Gladiator. Will she pass the test and go on to other things? Or will she do what so many more have done and be humiliated in front of thousands of people then go away and sulk, taking her grapevines home with her like so many more people before?
My bet is on the latter. Because if she has any gumption about her she would have risen to the occasion by now and taken her titles to new heights. She would have stood loud and proud at the top of her mountain and beaten anyone who came her way, not letting herself be distracted by the past.
Now I know, beating everyone is an unreasonable expectation. I should know, I don’t beat everyone. But if you are not wanting to be defined by the title you hold, then you should not hold it.
If you don’t want to be defined by the title you once held, then you shouldn’t be trying your hardest to get it back.
I have been accused of this very thing myself. Yes I was defined by my US title reigns. Yes I wanted to represent that division as its head for so very long and I was damn good at it. Record breaking in fact.
But now, at the crossroads as all three of us are, I am moving on forwards. I’ve decided the path I’m going to take, I know which village I am going to claim as my own and I am not standing there looking backwards, yearning for what was.
I know who I am and I know where I’m going to be - that is the guy who takes Gerard Angelo down. And you still haven’t told me what you asked me here for.”
