Post by Spencer Adams on Jan 27, 2019 16:35:02 GMT -5
Part 1: #WarSmart
(1/21/19)
The unanimous feeling inside the #FightSmart locker room was one of uncertainty. For weeks, the back and forth had people thinking that we were on the ropes, one match away from being snuffed out for good and it’s easy to see where it was coming from. #BeachKrew has come at us with an aggressive, calculated approach. With Andre being put on the shelf, everybody thought we were fucked. Still though, we were prepared to go at it regardless and knock them off or die trying.
Kuechly: Alright, I’ll say it. What the fuck was that?
Spencer: A change of plans, I suppose.
Kuechly: It’s not needed, you know.
Spencer: You really think that?
Kuechly: It was us before, it’s us now and this, this is OUR territory. #BeachKrew isn’t about to change that.
Spencer: It’s WarGames. THIS is a war between us and those that want to see us fall.
Kuechly: It should be Andre fighting with us. He’s part of what helped us get where we are, not Torture.
Spencer: The enemy of my enemy, right? He wants to see them pay and so do we. Whether one of us is on the shelf or not, the plan at the end of the day is us standing over a clan of fallen hybe beasts. If Torture wants a piece of that action, fuck it. He has his reasons and I think he’ll be useful.
Kemp: ..He’s right.
Kuechly: We’re #FightSmart. WE find a way to get the job done.
Spencer: Torture is an industry legend. Love him or hate him, we’re going to benefit from his inclusion.
Kuechly: Well, if that’s how it’s gonna be.
Spencer: It’ll work.
Kuechly: How are we feeling about the cage? Any ideas or special strategy?
Spencer: Kemp and I made our claim to fame inside a steel cage in 2015. Back then, we were just two rookies trying to scratch and claw our way to the top of the business no matter what it took. We fucking destroyed each other, because we knew what the payoff was. We stole that show and would go on to become household names. In hindsight, that was all part of competition. This is so much more.
Kemp: They’re hellbent on erasing us. Trust me when I say that we can’t let them leave in one piece. I know what they’re capable of and what they’ll do if we give them a window.
Kuechly: I don’t think they know what we’re capable of.
Spencer: #BeachKrew’s arrogance has always left them blind to everything outside their circle. They’ve always underestimated me and they’re doing the same you two, with the #FightSmart brand.
Kuechly: You’re confident then?
Spencer: I’ve done it before. I beat Wade Moor at Evolution, have upset the group in battle royals and tag title matches once upon a time, was AW World Champion before any of them. I know they haven’t forgotten and they’re going to learn that Action Wrestling will always be our house.
I stood from the bench in front of my locker, swinging the door closed and throwing my bag over my shoulder. I look back towards Kyle and KK, my clenched right fist extended outward.
Spencer: You guys in?
Kyle gets to his feet, extending his own clenched hand in solidarity.
Kuechly looks up, seeming to question the situation, mostly the inclusion of our unexpected ally.Kemp nods at both of us and KK relents, pushing out of the folding chair he’s sitting in to extend his fist into the circle.
Kuechly and Kemp: For Andre.
Part 2: Wounded warrior
(1/22/19)
Spencer: Dan?
Dan: Holy shit, is this the great Spencer Adams I’m speaking too?
Spencer: The one and only.
Dan: It’s been a minute, man.
I leaned back in the black computer chair provided by my NYC hotel room, pushing the phone closer to my ear as I did so.
Dan: I bet. You’re in my neck of the woods then, yeah?
Spencer: Yep, just landed this morning. AW wanted me in early for promotional work.
Dan: The fun stuff, huh? Well, if you aren’t too busy, I’d love to get together sometime this week.
Spencer: Yeah, about that. I was actually wondering if I could get your help with some training.
Dan: From me? I don’t know what good a crippled man with a half year of wrestling experience is going to do you, but I’m open to helping out a friend if you think I can be of use.
Spencer: Fighting #BeachKrew is going to be gritty, Dan. I need to dig deep and I think this city is the best place to get ready for a WarGames match. I was kinda hoping that you knew somebody.
Dan: I mean, the gym I used to train with is fine and everything, but I don’t know if it’s up to your caliber.
Spencer: I know you’ve gotta know somewhere lowkey in this city though.
Dan: I mean, I know about one guy, but he’s kind of a prick.
Spencer: Sounds perfect. Who is it?
Dan: A guy named Red Johanson over in Queens.
Spencer: Wait, THE Red Johanson, hardcore veteran Red Johanson?
Dan: You heard of him?
Spencer: Red’s one of the toughest motherfuckers there is. You have to hook me up, man.
Dan: I mean...I-
Spencer: Come on, man. You gotta help me out here!
Dan: Yeah, I’ll text the address, but don’t be surprised if he ends up slamming the door in your face. Red’s not exactly a people person.
Spencer: I think I’ll take my chances. I mean, what’s the worst that can happen?
Part 3: Rotten Miyagi
(1/23/19)
I knew I just knocked on the door seconds ago, but it felt more like a lifetime. After getting the address from Dan, I decided I would head over first thing in the morning. So, here I am, with the sun barely showing waiting in this back alley in hopes that an old wrestling veteran that I’d never personally met would decide to have an impromptu training session with me. Maybe Red wasn’t up yet though?
Spencer: Mr. Johanson?
My foot propped open the screen door as I looked back behind me, anxiously waiting for a response. I let the screen door go and stepped back, assuming it to be a bad time. I heard the sound of an interior door opening and looked back to see a scruffy unshaved figure standing in the frame.
His right palm shot out vertically, commanding momentary silence as I stood still, unsure of where to go next.
Spencer: Thank you, Mr. Johanson. I appreciate you taking the time to speak to me, really.
I followed Red into the building, stepping carefully around a rough couple steps that went down into the inside. As soon as my feet felt solid ground, I flood of warm pain ran across my face.
Spencer: Fuck!
The cause was a kendo stick that Red wielded in his right hand. He stepped back, the weapon gripped firmly as he looked me over.
Spencer: Dan Ca-
I was cut off by another hard smack, this one coming across the back of my legs and sending my to the ground. Before I had time to process another response, I felt a third shot come crashing down across my spine.
Red: Don’t answer that. I don’t give a fuck who sent ya. You come here lookin’ for an ass kicking?
I slowly pushed myself back up, taking a moment to regain proper balance.
Red: Training for what?
Spencer: A cage match.
He stepped forward, prodding at my chest with the end of the kendo stick.
Spencer: That’s why I came here. I’ve followed your career since I was a kid and thought you could help with conditioning.
Red: I’m sure you do. You younger generations wouldn’t know a good brawl if it was fuckin’ your mothers and droppin’ you off at baseball practice.
He reached for a half full bar glass and tilted his head back, sending a stream of amber liquid flowing into his mouth. He stepped even closer as he lowered the kendo stick, sizing me up a second time.
Spencer: I guess you could say that. These guys I’m training for are real lowlife types and I figured that if anyone could give me further edge over them, it’d be you.
Red: Hmm..
A much sharper pain raced across the side of my head as I went folding to my right. This time, the sound of breaking glass rang out into the room as Red stood over me with the remaining base of his bar glass in hand. He squeezed down on it, lacerating himself through his white wrapped bandages. My vision blurred momentarily as I tried to push up on my own hands. Through my double vision, I was actually starting to notice where I was. Something that Dan never mentioned is that Red didn’t own a gym or any sort of hardcore dojo. With blood trickling down my temple, I knew that I was Red’s home.
I felt yet another shot across my back as Red had scooped up his kendo stick once more.
Part 4: Image
(1/23/19)
Peter: Haven’t heard from you since our meeting a few weeks ago. Have you given any thought to our offer?
Spencer: Yeah, a little bit.
Peter: A little bit? That’s it..just a little bit?
Spencer: Well, I’m a busy man, Peter. #BeachKrew has been riding my ass for weeks and right now, my number one focus is knocking them down a peg or two.
Peter: I’m actually calling too, because I’m a little concerned with something I heard about earlier today, something they’re saying about you getting into some sort of altercation away from the ring? I’m only one person, but I can tell you that Hulu might get cold feet if you’re not conducting yourself the right way in their eyes.
Spencer: TMZ?
Peter: Yeah.
Spencer: Actually, I was training for my WarGames match this weekend.
Peter: I’d be careful is all.
Spencer: Not a chance. I’ve thought about your deal and I’ll be thinking about it more, but you and your people making the assumption that I’m going to play it safe and avoid getting roughed up for the camera is foolish. Jared Holmes put me on the shelf once, #BeachKrew put my friend Andre on the injured list...that group as a whole has it out for me and #FightSmart. This is what’s important to me.
Peter: I mean, I guess I can’t stop you.
Spencer: We’ll talk later. I’ve got a party to crash.
Part 5: Choppy waters
(1/26/19)
A baren bulb swings about, giving brief glimpses of the man in the black luchador mask. Beneath the fabric, an aura of confidence lives. The room itself looks dusty, something like an old war bunker. Before the masked wrestler speaks, the only real sound that can be heard is the clanking of the long bead chain that hangs off the end of the dim light. The masked man sits up in his old wooden chair, looking straight into the camera.
Time and time again, the lot of you have pushed us, practically begging #FightSmart to fire back and knock the heads off your shoulders. You’ve slithered around and tried to shorten our careers, tried to weaken our numbers in an attempt to take over our spot at the top of the Action Wrestling food chain. Your tactics have gotten you this far, made you feel like you’re the ones in the driver’s seat. WarGames takes away all of that for you. This will be as straightforward as you’ll find in this profession, Revolution’s second coming won’t be about #BeachKrew and their never ending chase for clout and ego stroking.
Action Wrestling is still our turf just as it’s always been. The #FightSmart brand has dictated everything in this company for the last year. We’re the ones who have taken it to the heights where it currently resides and as far as I’m concerned, we still control this narrative, not #BeachKrew. This is where me and my brothers in arms silence Jared’s hyena laugh. No longer will he smirk in our faces like a MAGA hat wearing teenager. It’s also the stage where I continue with the next chapter in my bitter rivalries with Wade Moor and Ryan Lockhart, two true alphas in the sport who I know will give me their absolute best between those steel walls.
If history has shown us anything, it’s that Spencer Adams is more than capable of “upsetting” the #BeachKrew regime. Of course, there’s no shortage of attempts to attach asterisks to the track record, but they’ll always be hollow. No matter how many times I’m discredited and made out to be anything less than a top talent in this business, #BeachKrew still holds losses to Spencer Adams and company.
Contrary to popular belief, I’m not here ignorant to my partners’ contributions. We’ve fought alongside each other time and time again, helped one another stand back up after falling down and done whatever it takes to help #FightSmart come out on top. They’ve sacrificed for me and when that bell rings, I’m sacrificing for them. This is where it matters most and I know the importance in doing everything I can to return the favor, to throw caution to the wind. If I do happen to go down, I’m taking #BeachKrew with me. At the end of Revolution II, Spencer Adams will be fighting for his people, those who matter the most.
You’ve all made sure that this goes beyond wrestling, that this becomes more personal than it’s ever been. This is what true hatred looks like. We aren’t “wrestling” each other, we’re looking to do very bad things to one another and that’s something I’m okay with. Ask Adam Young what it feels like to enter a blood feud with Spencer Adams, what it feels like to be sent head first into the bottom of a dumpster, to have your brain pushed against the front of your own skull. You’ve all got me going and there’s no stopping what happens after this.
My replies have been few and far between as of late, but my ears have heard the whispers, the attacks on my character, the shots made towards my own family. I know that Wade Moor wants this, wants The Antidote to turn up the heat yet again. I know Godnilla is someone with a love for the pain, but I don’t think he believes I’m capable of dishing it. After all this time, Wade Moor still looks at me as less than what I am, as if the end result on the biggest stage in Action Wrestling history wasn’t me walking away victorious, as if I didn’t just give him a five star contest in the finals of the Wrestler of the Year tournament.
I put my hand up, running my fingers against the glass of the bulb, making it dance further.
On the other side of the coin is someone who I know is never content, someone who ran from the pressures of holding a world championship and into the waiting arms of “retirement”. Despite what he claims, Jared Holmes didn’t leave an active roster contract on the table out of boredom, he walked away out of fear. Jared Holmes was afraid of exposure, of smudging the top gun image he always wanted, the image that Jared’s own handlers always wanted for him. The assumption was that we wouldn’t be able to hang if we were down a man heading into the cage and #BeachKrew would be able to roll over us no problem.
Torture has already fucked things up for #BeachKrew and more specifically, he’s fucked things up for Jared Holmes. Things are level again and Jared Holmes runs that risk of having his image rewritten entirely. Torture’s involvement and the existence of a steel cage means that a #BeachKrew loss can absolutely crush the “legacy” that Jared Holmes made for himself back in WCF. No matter what, #FightSmart battles on. I can’t say the same for Holmes or #BeachKrew in its current form. When the invasion doesn’t push out of Action Wrestling, Holmes will find himself short on ideas and motivation. Let’s never forget that there’s a reason Jared clings to the manager title and it’s not “boredom”.
Getting over on #BeachKrew means that Ryan Lockhart and his belt become that much closer to us. The champ has been asking for challenger’s for awhile now and while the title might not be on the line when we all enter the cage, Ryan’s pride will be. That near flawless record is something that Ryan Lockhart holds dear and any and all losses are something he takes very personal. I’m okay with that. I welcome Ryan Lockhart having the same rage in himself that we have in us. I know this match can leave him feeling vulnerable as well and that’s why #FightSmart will strike.
#BeachKrew never changes, #FightSmart never changes..war never changes. #BeachKrew will always live in the now and feed off the attention while we will always focus on both short and long term. 2018 belongs to #FightSmart as will 2019. Action Wrestling is the house that #FightSmart built and it will always be that way. To my last breath, I will defend what I believe in and fight for what is mine. When the stakes are raised and the spotlight becomes brighter, I thrive. Now, I do what I do best, beating those who think I can’t.