Post by Spencer Adams on Apr 17, 2019 19:08:28 GMT -5
Part 1: Rerouting
(4/15/19)
Andre: You fuckin’ did it!
AA grips the wheel, leaning forward excitedly and smacking me across the shoulder.
I lean back gingerly, moving slowly as to minimize my overall feeling of soreness.
Andre: Word?
Spencer: I wanted to put Lincoln in his place. I did that tonight and I’ll do it again in two weeks, but I’m focused on the bigger picture. I need to take my momentum and move forward. Hell or high water, I’m going into Sacramento to win a rumble match.
Andre: Lot of muhfuckers to strategize ‘round though, finna be a challenge.
Spencer: Challenges make legends, Andre. Havoc Rumble...that’s huge. I’m ready for it, man.
Andre: I know you can do it, shit’s just massive though. They got everyone in that bitch, throwin’ that whole 201 division into the mix and shit too.
Spencer: I’m not worried about the 201 division.
Andre: Yeah?
Spencer: I’ve been the 201 division for the last four years. I’ve spent every bit of my time in the spotlight putting on a show for those watching. What they’re doing in their own lane is fine, but remember, it’s people like Spencer Adams that paved the way for 201’s existence. Throwing them into the main event? I’ve done that too. The difference is, I’m not a card opening mini-highlight. I am the top of the food chain. So, you know...ahead of the curve again, right? I welcome the 201 girls and boys, but I know who I am and I know what they are to me and that is my opening act on MY show.
Andre: What about that nigga Quinoa?
Spencer: QDT runs the division for sure, the results prove that. Still, he runs THAT division. That’s it. It’s a comfortable, safe space for him. He gets to throw weight around and live on as this controversial figure, because he’s pushing back at the base to call it six inches. If QDT was truly transcendent or any kind of high level threat to my chances of winning Havoc, he’d already be up on the main roster making his mark against the rest of us. This isn’t QDT proving he belongs, it’s QDT waving at the masses from a hundred yards away to remind them he’s here too.
Andre: You know, I was part of that division too once. Feelin’ a lil’ bit hurt by the association wit’ what you’re sayin’.
Spencer: You said it, not me.
Andre: Pffttt….you trippin’, nig.
Spencer: I’m not saying they’re the least of my concerns, but I just don’t rank them as anything major to prep for.
Andre: Who you got under them then?
Spencer: I’ve already done away with the likes of Baz, Karlie, and Hazel. That’s an easy scout.
Andre: Yeah. Taste of gold could’ve motivated Hazel though.
Spencer: She’ll be rid of it before we even get to the main event.
Andre: Got money on Claire?
Spencer: Easily. She’ll probably be a damn good TV champ too, but she won’t be in the driver’s seat when that main event does come, simply a passenger rather.
Andre: What about them big niggas like SeaJayThree or Bobby Rage?
Spencer: I give Chase props for lasting as long as he has in the company, but him and Bobby are a similar breed, a pair of adrenaline junkies that struggle with adversity and don’t know how to thrive in underdog situations like this one.
Andre: I shit, I almost forgot Bishop.
Spencer: Are you surprised?
Andre: Nah.
I pull up the AW website on my phone and begin scrolling through the participant list.
Andre: She still works here?
Spencer: I guess.
Andre: Come one, come all I guess.
Spencer: Talent Enhancers should be interesting, always gotta watch out for tag teams working together in this sort of situation.
Andre: Shit, you right.
Spencer: Then again, working together in the past has always left them coming up just a little bit short under a lot less pressure than this.
Andre: Lot of desperate folks in this shit though, ya dig?
Spencer: There’s more to it though. Being desperate and determined to prove yourself is one thing, but I’m trying to look at what brought them to that point. Take someone like Wesley for example, a guy who was begging to be given a second chance not to long ago and yes, Havoc Rumble is that for a lot of people, but there’s something else there. Wesley stood out in 201 and as he was away, that division moved without him. The whole roster and show did. This isn’t where he makes up for lost time. You have to already be primed for the big stage in this one, plain and simple.
I lean forward and crank the air up, wincing as I do so.
Spencer: I can go, trust me.
Andre: I know you said you’re lookin’ forward, but if Lincoln is able to make it to Havoc, you know you finna have to take him out again, right?
Spencer: He stole my entry spot from me, but there’s no stealing this. Slapping that boy around that cage, I did exactly what I said I would. I proved that Lincoln is beneath me as a man and as a competitor. Again, he did the one thing he’s great at and that’s falling short. This match is about more than a rivalry though, it’s about me getting back to the main event of Evolution. You don’t have to be Lincoln Kuechly to get a Lincoln Kuechly type beatdown from yours truly, you just have to be in my way.
Andre: You sure you don’t want a couple days to just sleep? It’d do ya some good.
Spencer: Too much to do.
Andre: ..and you’re sure you’re a’ight wit’ goin’ to Chitown?
Spencer: I just need to say a couple goodbyes.
Part 2: Letting go
(4/19/19)
I never thought I’d have to come back here and do this again. I just thought after last time, that we’d be able to move forward. I still blame myself. Sometimes, it feels like wrestling is the vice that cost me the last bit of family I had left in the world. I know she told me to do it, that I’m living out a dream that me and my nephew both shared. It’s more than just memory though. I NEED competition to keep me sane. Even though people keep telling me to slow down, I can’t.
I’d smack myself awake or close my eyes to try to get back to reality, but I know he’ll still be there.
Spencer: I let you down..
Robbie: No, you didn’t!
Spencer: It feels that way sometimes..
Robbie: You’ve helped a lot of people be strong. YOU showed them how. Just because we’ve gotta go, doesn’t mean they do. I know you’re hurt, but it won’t last forever. Can you show them again?
Spencer: How?
Robbie: Just survive. Please?
Andre: You sure you can do this?
I know it’s becoming obvious when I lose myself in my own mind and that Andre’s taking notice.
Just as I did months prior, I pull the lid from the urn and take a glance down into the same water that I watched the remains of my mother and nephew sink into. I grip the side of the urn and tilt it to the left, staring off into the swaying blue of Lake Michigan and watching what’s left drift away.
Spencer: Thanks..I’ll be okay, really.
Andre: You said you had another stop to make, but you never told me.
Spencer: ..Just one.
Andre: What’s that?
Spencer: The warehouse.
Part 3: Rush Hour
(4/19/19)
Andre: Come on, niggas!
An orchestral storm of car horns crash together and fill the highway air. Andre continues to slam down on his own horn and screaming towards a driver in front of him.
Andre: I ain’t got the patience for this shit, bro. This alone makin’ me glad I’m not in that rumble wit’ ya.
Spencer: It’s all background noise, man. You’ve just gotta keep your eye on the destination and not all the bullshit around you.
Andre: Stronger than I am, bruh bruh. Say, you been thinkin’ ‘bout them strats sill?
Spencer: Always.
Andre: Lay it on me, nigga.
Spencer: Well, I’ve been thinking more about people with inherent advantages here.
Andre: Like who?
Spencer: Well, for starters, James Wolf coming over from WCF.
Andre: You worried about some fuckin’ herb that’s been treated like an afterthought in the #FartCore division?
Spencer: WCF’s housed a lot of hopeful prospects, especially since a lot of the bigger stars’ contracts ran up. I think it’s served as a foot in the door for guys like Wolf. He’s not there just yet, but versing yourself in the art of hardcore wrestling sorta gives you an extra sense. It should help him see the ring differently than others might. Plus, it’s the perfect setup to hang on through the marathon that is Havoc Rumble.
Then you’ve got people like Estrella and Kennedy, the crafty socialites who rely on Mean Girls bravado to try to beat down the competition. Not that it works with any top level consistenty, but it’s bringing them closer. If they a couple numbers that are relatively close, it could spell trouble for unsuspecting hang ons who find themselves winded or preoccupied with other predicaments in general.
Of course, there’s also Titan Jax. Now, I don’t see the guy as a standout performance wise, but he’s got the length, the reach to stay a step or two ahead of the competition in this setting. A big guy like say Bobby Rage is a more obvious target, but he’s more compact. Jax is more the lanky type and could easily clean house with a few big boots.
Andre: That’s nothin’ on my nigga.
Spencer: Yeah, because I’m recognizing it. People think that because I’ve been away from the world title scene for awhile, I’ve lost a step. The way I see it, I don’t take my talent and ability to win for granted. I’ve dipped my toes into the piss filled pool that is AW’s prospect competitors. I can see the headspace they’re in and not losing sight of people whose sights will be set primarily on me, that’s how Spencer Adams insures a win next week.
Andre: You finna have to remind the bigger dogs too who ya are too, ya dig? It ain’t no surprise you’ve successfully gatekeeped the lower card and put a buncha scrubs in they places these past few months. Them on the radar muhfuckers oughtta be reminded too.
Spencer: and you know, most of them will be.
Andre: Most of’em?
Spencer: Some people are just thickheaded, you know?
Andre: Tell me about it, boi.
Spencer: I mean, you really expect Shadowlove to view his place in this world without lying to himself? It’s how he’s survived this long in the world’s top promotions. No matter how many times the bar smacks him on the chin and lays him out on his back, Shadowlove will continue to look right past people like me, even while I’m actively proving that he shouldn’t. In his world? He’s a king. In ours? He’s a fucking fool who can’t get the job done, sorta like a certain someone I just beat this past week.
Jaice Wilds is another guy in that same boat. He’s someone who’s been given chance after chance and fails to connect, yet, still thinks they’re on equal footing with world champions. He’ll always continue to gas himself up, faking the idea that he’s revered by his peers or selling himself as something greater than what he really is. Delusion swarms around him like flies to shit and Jaice just keeps telling himself he’s still yet to see his ceiling, even though the rest of us did like three years ago and we all know he lives in a fucking hobbit house that overlooks a shire full of yapping pups like Claire Hawkins or the future endeavored L Verez.
Andre: Niggas really be on some shit, huh?
Spencer: They’re filler to me, really. You know what though? It’s funny to me that the assumption is that me coming off the battle against Lincoln means that I’m anywhere near unfocused while I’ve made it abundantly clear for weeks exactly where my focus lies right now. You want to look at people whose grudges make them a liability to themselves? How about the two guys locked in a never ending blood feud over the US title?
Andre: Shit, you right.
Spencer: No doubt, they’ve elevated each other, but at what cost? When do these two guys call it quits? Why should I believe that the temptation of winning Havoc Rumble will break them away from each other long enough to survive the rest of the field? I see the fire in both Kidsgrove and Dandy, but they’re REALLY locked in against each other.
Andre: Like a couple’uh homos fuckin’ on one of them Chinese finger traps together.
Spencer: That can’t happen. Period. They need to treat each other as another target on equal footing with every other entrant, but I don’t think they can. They’ve struggled for what seems like a lifetime just to prove supremacy over the other man and they’re still on that same path. Trust me, my eyes are on these guys, because I know they’re capable, but I doubt their ability to execute in each other’s presence. Maybe Kidsgrove has some hope against a battered Dandy since his rival is forced to enter first, but I think they’ll shoot their shot against each other and be left blank when it comes down to the finale.
Andre: What if they one of’em is able to make it to the end though?
Spencer: I’ll stay ready.
Part 4: Proving grounds
(4/19/19)
Traffic bends to the right, clearing out just enough to pick up speed as we reach our exit.
Spencer: Warehouse is just up ahead.
We hang a left and slow down as we reach the curb alongside the graffiti-clad face of UCI’s first home.
Spencer: Looks can be deceiving, you know.
Andre: If you say so, homie.
The lock on the front sticks a bit, showing mild signs of age and inactivity. I give the key a bit of a shake and manage to pop it off, prying two metal doors open and letting them slide off to our sides. I step inside and feel the grin spread across both cheeks.
Spencer: We saw ourselves. I was mocked when Jared Holmes put me on the shelf and the doubters came swarming out of the woodwork when they heard the news that I was heading over for a stint in Japan upon getting cleared to compete. With UCI, I cast myself into the spotlight again. This was my comeback story, even before the one that’s happening right now. I always felt that during my rookie year, no matter how much I proved myself, it was never enough. It didn’t matter who didn’t believe in the vision, because I did and we made something great out of it.
I approach the apron and slide my hand along the siding.
Andre, I know this is going to be a fucking war. I don’t need anybody else to tell me that I’m beat the fuck up right now, because I already know. I also know triumph and perseverance, because of this freakshow of a promotion that went mainstream, because we fought for it to get there. Havoc Rumble is an uphill battle, but believe me when I tell you, I’m ready to welcome it. This is my chapter. As for how it all ends? Just watch me write it.
Part 5: Ready for war (actionwrestling.com exclusive)
(4/27/19)
Chris Avery: We are less than twenty four hours away from one of the biggest events of the year here in Action Wrestling and what we can say for certain is we are about to see history made and careers changed forever. Tomorrow night’s Havoc Rumble will see the winner go on to face Ryan Lockhart for the world championship at Evolution 2. Now, joining me at this time is a man who needs no introduction, former AW world champion, Spencer Adams. Spencer, welcome.
Spencer: Pleasure, Chris.
Chris Avery: Now, as you know, the Havoc Rumble welcomes all competitors and as a result, we’ve got a couple stars already announced for tomorrow’s PPV. How do you feel about Conor McGregor and Joel Embiid joining the mix?
Spencer: THIS is what I care about. Havoc Rumble won’t be won by any half-hearted guest cameos that amount to little more than a publicity stunt. One’s great on the hardwood, another in the octagon, but I’m damn f***ing good at this right here. This means more to me than a one off appearance. I’m f***ing living this, Chris.
Chris Avery: Of course, we also have a couple of highly talented female competitors shooting up the ranks in Lissie Hope and Casey Holliday. How do you see these two women impacting the match overall?
Spencer: I don’t think they belong in the same sentence, Chris. There’s still a lot more that we need to see from Lissie Hope. I can see her enjoying a level of success similar to Casey, but she’s not there yet. In due time, she’ll face proper exposure to the upper card. Facing damn near every established top talent in one match? She’s not ready for that yet. Lissie Hope just isn’t there right now.
As for Casey, she’s one to watch NOW in terms of a breakout star and it could be argued that she’s already there. Casey is right on the edge of entering the main event. Will she be able to hang once she gets there? That’s another question in itself. Her road to this point is padded almost entirely with low effort opposition. That’s not who I am. I will be the toughest challenge of her career, guaranteed. Spencer Adams is the adversity that Casey Holliday just doesn’t know.
Chris Avery: As a former tag team champion yourself, what are your thoughts on Zombie McMorris and Beau Blaze in the rumble match?
Spencer: They’re a couple of alpha dogs, Z in particular. The only way to combat guys like that is to bring the fight to them. Beau’s coming up alongside the people. Zombie is a f***ing monster. All it took was an opportunity in UCI for him to let loose and win every prize in the company. He’s the real deal, but you don’t need me to vouch for him. The proof is in the pudding. Being in the same ring as people like that, the answer is straightforward, main event Spencer is gonna have to put Ol’ Z on his ass. Beau can be collateral.
Chris Avery: As we know already, the AW landscape was shocked to find out that NvL had joined the roster. How big of a threat is this man to those competing in the Havoc Rumble?
Spencer: As big of a threat as you allow him to be. I remember a time when he showed up back in UCI. The general reaction was shock and unease, just as we’re seeing now. He didn’t dominate the landscape though. You know why? Because motherf***ers stood their ground. All it took was a little push back from The Guardians and that was checkmate. NvL represents to me everyone telling me how far I can go. He won’t be the roadblock that forces me to turn around, because I know my merit and my strength against the formidable in this industry. This is my f***ing territory and I won’t be scared off by anyone.
Chris Avery: One group you’ve had an extensive history of run-ins with is #BeachKrew. You’ve traded victories back and forth throughout your respective careers. What makes you confident going into this one knowing three of them will be eyeing the same prize as you?
Spencer: Ryan’s under a lot of pressure right now and that pressure is translating to the group as a whole. Wade and Pasternak left Clash of Champions empty handed and Jared hasn’t seen much in-ring action in general in recent memory. What really surprises me is that Wade Moor has allowed himself to take a backseat at all. I know the competitor Wade is, it has to eat him up inside seeing anybody else holding the world title. I know that the competitor he is needs to repeat this year and defend that Havoc Rumble crown, but he’s gotta be feeling the heat. The pressure is on them and they just might self-implode before our very eyes this Sunday.
Chris Avery: We also saw the in-ring return of Alex Richards just last week in a match that many are calling one of his best. Richards comes into this as perhaps WCF’s last world champion. What’s stopping him from winning the rumble and holding up both belts to close Evolution?
Spencer: His own assessment of me. I have a great deal of respect for Alex Richards’ talents, even if he doesn’t feel the same way towards me. That’s where he’s screwing himself over though. I’ve consistently beaten Alex, because I don’t lose sight of who he is and what he brings to the table, but he’s been too busy dwelling in the bullsh*t narrative created by The Guardians to recognize the threat that I pose to him. Alex is great and I’m happy to see the guy holding a world title of his own, but don’t think for one second he’s going to lay a finger on mine.
Chris Avery: Finally, you’ll once again be facing off against your ex-teammate Kyle Kemp. It was a close battle between you guys in Battlebowl. How do you retain the edge against him?
Spencer: Kyle and I are kindred spirits. Whether you love or hate the guy, he’s as competitive as anybody I know. Just as I predicted for Battlebowl, I’m predicting right now that Spencer Adams and Kyle Kemp will be the last two standing tomorrow night. We know what to expect in the other’s playbook. This moment will be one to remember. I survive Kyle Kemp by holding nothing back, just like I’ve always done. I know what I have to do and when it comes down to it, nobody is safe, not anymore. The wait is almost over and The Antidote is ready for war.