Tommy Valentine & Jake Starr vs. Andrew Raynes & Dustin Adams
Deadline: Noon ET Tuesday, August 28, 2018
2 RP Limit for singles; 4 RP Limit for tag team; 6 RP limit for six person tag
OOC: CD only, no time to get a shoot done between work and newborn, bloody exhausting!
Holy fuck, I did it!
I walked into RTG, in front of as close to a home crowd as I would ever get, regardless of being booed. I walked into RTG in that arena and I went and did exactly what I said I was going to do. I didn;t allow that self serving egotistical prick to walk away with something I had worked nearly a year to accomplish. I watched him clutch that belt with everything he had when I made it rain all over him, grabbed that belt back from his cold dead hands and was able to do what I damn well said I would do.
I defended the Adrenaline Championship at Rise to Greatness
All while that ratchet cunt, Amy Chastaine, all perched up in her cute little suite with her other little pets hovering around. Watching that match with her own conviction, I knew she didn’t want me to retain. I knew she wanted me to fail, just like she did at Rise To Greatness when she couldn’t even beat William Hush for this belt.
I did it though, I took on my rival in MY house, in MY match that the little son of a bitch thought he could conquer.
Suck my dick, Amy, I was always better off without you!
I had never felt a resolve for this business, for a championship as much as I had in defending this championship successfully,
But good fucking christ everything hurts
The Truth Became Reality.
It was a surreal feeling for Andrew, leaving the Thunderdome still your Adrenaline Champion and still the current longest active champion in SCW, it was a major moment for him. While most people would only consider winning the World Championship at RTG to be the moment they long for or consider that to be their true moment of glory, for Andrew, defending that Adrenaline Championship successfully after all the degradation the championship had suffered over the past few years was Andrew’s major defining moment. This was everything that he came back for, everything that he had done to everyone who stood in his way on his way to becoming Adrenaline Champion!
The blood covering his body
The throwing of Gable Winchester off a ladder and his subsequent concussion that erased him from SCW
The Bruises on his back from going through two tables off the Thunderdome
The Bashing of Dylan Howell’s skull off a steel cage door!
The smirk on his face when he made it rain on Dylan Howell preciously clutching the championship!
All of it was worth what he turned the Championship into, THE title to come after.
Having his best friend, Dustin Adams, coming down to the ring after it was all said and done was something important to Andrew. He wanted to prove to people that he wasn’t the type that needed Dustin hovering over his matches to save him from doom. Andrew was the type that took your best shot and would still kick out and live to fight another day. He was the type that was morphing himself into the destroyer of souls with the likes of Gable Winchester, Marie Jones and now, Dylan Howell all left broken and humbled as a result of Andrew’s dominance as Adrenaline Champion. His ability to back up all his shit talk knowing that everyone, aside from his close friends, wanted him to fail. They wanted to see Dylan get his revenge on Andrew because no one else had been able to stop him since he had become Champion.
It wasn’t going to happen.
Andrew came back for this, Andrew came back to SCW to solidify everything he had gone through over the past couple of years. As he got over Amy, himself, and everything else that had always stood in his way to becoming the man he truly was. From the beginning, from the very minute Amy had failed to defend the championship, to William Hush retiring immediately afterwards and leaving the belt up for grabs for any idiot to just walk in and claim the belt, it had become a revolving joke, a belt more worthless than the television championship. Andrew had forged his way up to the top by any means necessary and simply gotten the job done, he had taken the scorched championship, rose it from the ashes of the light and given it the credibility and prestige it had rightfully deserved. Say what you want about titles such as the United States Championship or even the World Championship. For one night at Rise to Greatness, Andrew did exactly what he wanted, he walked into Toronto as the Adrenaline Champion, in the highest profile match on the card and delivered a devastating knockout blow to not only his rival, but to everyone else who thought they could just come for this belt expecting it to be handed to them on a silver platter.
Andrew Raynes made the Adrenaline Championship Great again!
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Post-Thunderdome Match
Trainers Room
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He had finally made it to the backstage area following his successful title defense. Arguably Andrew’s biggest moment and the blood dripping down his face and his back were all apart of getting the job done. It didn’t matter to Andrew what the cost was. He could feel the gash on the back of his head from when he was suplexed through the two tables outside the ring. For the most part, he was still able to walk under his own power getting to the back, he wanted to walk out proud to be champion, proud to have decimated Dylan Howell after all the shit he had been causing for Andrew. He was happy to have Dustin there though, he was able to help get him to the trainers room to get his shit sorted out.
He sat there on the bed waiting to get treated, he wasn’t about to let himself go to the hospital or see someone outside the arena. He wanted to get this taken care of because, well because he had held up his end of the bargain between himself and Bree. He successfully defended his championship and was going to be hoping that Bree became the new United States Champion and they had plans to go and celebrate if she was able to win as well. Nothing was going to stand in the way of that. He was slightly doubled over, the pain seemed to be more agonziging that Andrew wanted it to be but he was doing his best to act tough over it.
Finally a few moments later, the doctor finally comes in and looks Andrew over, he circles around Andrew and notices that giant gash on the back of his head. He ignores everything else and immediately begins work on cleaning the wound and getting one of the nurses to get ready to start stitching it up. Andrew looks over at the doctor, seemingly unimpressed.
Andrew: Is this going to take long?
Doctor: You’re gonna need about a dozen stitches, maybe more to close that gash up.
Andrew: Fuck, must’ve caught the end of the table as it shattered.
Doctor: You’re lucky nothing else happened. You don’t seem to be suffering any signs of a concussion.
Andrew: I was suplexed through two tables, lets calm down on the concussion crap.
Dustin: He’s fine.
The doctor doesn’t seem to be interesting in much else, his focus clearly squared on getting that gash healed before it gets worse, possible infected.
Doctor: Once we get this stitched up, you’re gonna need to take it easy for a ltitle while.
Andrew: Excuse me?
Doctor: Yeah, you don’t want to be re-opening this wound or putting yourself through any more agony than what you endured tonight.
Andrew: Fuck that shit, I just made this belt the most prestigious belt in this business and I showed a rotten bitch up. Not to mention I have celebrations in order and work to do next week.
Dustin: I’ll cover us for Livewire, it’s fine!
After a few moments, Bree Lancaster comes running into the trainers room, looking over at Andrew who’s all bashed up. Dustin off to the side with a smirk on his face. She seemed elated to see Andrew still holding that championship.
Bree: babe, just wanted to see how you were doing. You fucking did it! But please tell me we are still on for tonight?
Andrew smirks.
Andrew: This doctor isn’t going to keep me from shit, you just go take care of Jason and make sure you look to see if Amy cries any harder than when i beat Dylan.
Bree: Will do! See you later!
She doesn’t bother trying to hug or show affection for his victory. She didn’t need to be getting herself bloodied unless she was going to bleed against Jason. She hurries off to finish her preparations for her match later on.
Andrew: Bitch better win!
Dustin: She will!
Andrew just sat there, as the doc and nurse tend to his gash, getting it all stitched up so that Andrew can get the fuck out of there and prepare for the celebrations that would ensue later tonight.
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Post-Match Celebrations
Toronto Nightclub
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Celebrations were finally in order with Andrew and Bree both winning their championships earlier tonight. They made good on their deal and managed to get out to the club for some drinks and just a chance to soak in their moment of glory. Being able to show Amy that Andrew and Bree were their true selves with her in their rearview mirror, it was finally time to celebrate moving forward and focusing on what they needed to do.
However tonight, was about letting loose.
They had been there a couple hours already, Bree taking advantage of the VIP service and had been flaunting her class and championship. Andrew and Dustin were more of the chill, laid back types even when they were out celebrating. Just being able to enjoy the moment while he knew that Dylan would still be crying over being the ultimate failure that he was. Andrew and Bree may have different approaches but their resolve was ultimately the same. They understood each other, far better than possibly expected given the circumstances.
Andrew and Dustin had been sitting back on the couches, just being chill while Bree was still soaking it in, Andrew had a bit of a hard time given his injuries and blow to the head but he was still enjoying himself. Dustin was just his strong quiet self, taking everything in, realizing that things could have been much different but instead, he was also enjoying a renewed and refreshing career teaming and being friends with someone who actually gave a shit about him, gave a shit about their friendship and about just all around doing whatever the fuck that they wanted to do. It was a treat being on top of the world for once, Andrew having so many times been fucked over by management, friends, etc. Now though, having friends he respected, friends he could count on was going to go a long way in his mission to keep the Adrenaline Championship and just give Andrew a reason to enjoy himself more.
Though getting the tension out of the room was going to be something else.
They were sitting there, Bree really feeling things right now, kept looking back over at the boys who seemed content to just chill, drink and take the music in. Andrew and Dustin had been talking amongst themselves for a few moments, wondering what they were going to do. Given they had been drinking a decent amount since they had arrived, it seemed more fitting that any perceived hostile tension needed to be resolved in this manner
Andrew: Why don’t you just go and deal with it finally?
Dustin: Because the likelihood of me doing so will most likely scare the fuck out of the entire club and scaring off everyone.
Andrew: Jesus Fucking Christ, she’s the one who’s gonna fucking run out of here at worse. You two need to finally just get this all sorted out and move on. We’re gonna be friends and most likely going to have to work together and we can’t do that if she thinks you’re just a giant hulk who’s gonna hulk smash her at any given point.
Dustin just chuckles.
Dustin: So we should just hug it out you’re saying?
Andrew: Sure, we fucking won dude, now’s the perfect time.
Dustin sort of shakes it off, he finishes his drink and gets up slowly, trying to figure out the best way to do this without scaring the fuck out of her, which is probably going to happen anyways. Andrew gets up shortly after, probably better to stay close to them in case she freaks out and people look over wondering why a giant 7 footer weighing about 300 pounds is about to maul a woman, you know perception and shit! He walks over towards Bree, who’s taking in the scene and living her best VIP life as the new US Champ, still trying to figure out the best way to do this. As he keeps walking over, rather than just waiting til she turns around to do this, he decides to roll the dice and just go for it. In a few short moments he reaches towards her and gives her a giant bear hug that freaks her out and nearly gives her a heart attack. It caught the attention of a few bouncers and the patrons around the area but Andrew was quick to dissolve any potential situation “we’re all friends” he utters keeping everyone at bay. Meanwhile, Bree is still trying to recover from the grip she was in around Dustin, worse than being put in a weak ass Tourniquet but a certain douchebag!
Andrew: What in the actual fuck dude!
Dustin: You told me we needed to hug it out and now was the right time! I was trying to be nice!
Andrew: Bear Hugging her from behind and scaring the fucking bejeezus out of her not only isn't what I call nice but also, she can't be your friend if she's dead!
Bree turns around and basically smacks him!
Bree: Yeah! Ass!
Andrew: At least she didn’t turn around and completely sack you in the nuts!
They chuckled a bit as they got over the awkward hug!
Bree: You know, you could have just asked me to hug it out you know!
Dustin: Figured you’d freak out, given how “scary” you think I am!
Bree: Dude, you look like you could kill someone with a glare! I know Andrew and I are cool but I don’t need you killing me anytime soon!
Dustin just shakes his head, Andrew was waiting for this to finally happen so the awkwardness could finally be done and over with!
Dustin: We’re cool, I’m the kind of scary guy you want in your corner. Comes with being a former inmate, It’s not like I am going to just be like “Hey, you wanna be friends?” just kind of doesn’t work that way!
Bree: I’m just glad I don’t have to worry about whether or not you’ll kill me!
Andrew: Christ Bree, I have to worry about that and we’re best friends!
Dustin: I’m right here guys!
Bree: But seriously, you were a legit Inmate?
Dustin didn't hesitate with his response!
Dustin: Yeah, did time almost up until I started in the wrestling business. You can imagine how hard it is to get honest work when you’re a Jacked up criminal!
Bree: Good way to put your “skills” to use then!
Dustin: Worked out well so far!
They share a laugh, seemingly getting over the hump of their awkwardness given Dustin’s stature and persona. They needed to all be on the same page, as they were beginning to form a solid friend/partnership and their seemingly alignment with PPF, there was going to be no room for tension or awkwardness in any capacity. They were the champions on top of the world, done the things that most people thought they could never accomplish, on the grandest stage of them all.
They proved them all wrong!
Now they were better for it, and that was something scary for everyone!
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Vegas Old Friends
August 21st 2018
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Being in Vegas was a fun way to enjoy a breakdown, the city of sin was a great place to really unwind and just be whoever the hell you wanted to be while you were here. IT was also a great place for ANdrew and Blake to catch up on their friendship. They hadn’t ben talking much since Blake’s split from Bree and him focusing on his own path. It made sense really, given that Blake had decided to go down a new road that leaned more towards doing the right thing and being the better person, he was one of the few people that Andrew actually had respect for, in anyhing that he wanted to do. They had been friends for so long, even before Blake and Bree hooked up so it wasn’t like Andrew needed to pick a side or anything. Also, their love for the Patriots and Tom Brady wouldn’t be torn apart. Given that they were in Vegas though, it was the perfect place for the two of them to be able to spend some time together, shoot the shit and just be able to be friends, no worrying about alignment, career goals or anything else.
They had been texting each other quite a bit, planning to head to the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, the best place on the strip, to just chill. They finally met up about a half hour later, after they finished ironing out all the details, in the casino. Andrew had been trying his luck on the craps table for about an hour now and was pretty much hit or miss. Poker was more his game and didnt care for the luck of the dice or anything else. Blake finally catches up with him, both dressed pretty slick for the strip. It was good seeing each other for the first time in awhile. Keeping up appearances and keeping their friendship more on the D/L than anything was a bit tougher but boys were easier to handle that shit than chicks were (Dont @ me)
Blake: I was expecting to see Dustin as well!
They shake hands and embrace, bros hug that shit out dog!
Andrew: Meh, he doesn’t care much for gambling so I left his ass back at the hotel. He’s fine, he has his own shit to worry about and besides, we needed a chance to catch up!
Blake: You said it!
Andrew and Blake decide to bail on the table and go grab a drink, figured it would be easier for them to chat and drink rather than try and win money and talk about shit! They go sit by some chairs and just relax
Andrew: You’ve been doing well buddy, looks like this new direction has been paying off for you.
Blake: Same with you! I see you haven’t slowed down at all!
Andrew: No rest for the wicked buddy, you know that!
Blake: Just been a whole different Blake Mason Experience, one that has me more focused and determined! Been different not trying to destroy everyone around me!
Andrew couldn’t say much to that, after what he’s been doing!
Andrew: It’s shown man, listen, i know that you’ve put yourself in a better position and done well to separate yourself from the shit that has been dragging you down or at least been making you feel like you’ve been held back. I want you to know that I total respect what you’re doing. There’s very few people, not even in this business, but as a whole that I have profound respect for and regardless of the direction you're taking or the people you’ve decided to distance yourself from, myself included, on a social media or business level. Just know that we will always be friends!
Blake: I respect that, Andrew, I respect the way you’ve carried yourself, even if I don’t align myself with thost types of activities or methods anymore. Too much time i’ve wasted trying to destroy things that I have to focus on what’s best for myself and my daughter! I respect more than anything what you have done with the Adrenaline Championship and I know probably better than anyone that you’ll be able to defend it well against Christy and not be concerned with whatever Ravyn is trying to poison you with.
Andrew takes a drink and sits back a minute, it was nice hearing things from a friend with a different perspective!
Andrew: I’m not worried about Ravyn or Christy for that matter, I’ve been able to do what I want, when I want as champion and I am not going to let anyone other than my circle of trust affect me in any way going into yet another title defense.
Blake: I imagine you wouldn’t, you have some pretty solid people in your corner, not everyone can gain the respect of someone like Regan Street, no matter who she has beef with. Her being on your side always speaks volumes to how good and dominant you’ve become as a champion. Hard to imagine she gives you that respect if you didn't give the Adrenaline Title the respect it rightfully deserves.
Blake was right, Andrew probably doesn’t even hit Regan’s radar if not for the title he’s made worthwhile. Andrew did have a solid core of people around him and only respected about a handful of people. Blake was going to become someone who Andrew could be friends with and not have to worry about talking about who they gonna kill or talk about destruction. With Blake taking the more noble approach, it was going to allow Blake and Andrew to focus on their friendship without the business attachment. Clearly they wouldn’t be able to social on twitter or maybe even backstage. They would be able to be friends behind the scenes, as only guys can really. When they are at work, they will do their thing, focus on their own shit, but having someone he can get away from shit with, that was going to go a long way in maintaining whatever sense of normalcy Andrew had left in him. He needed Blake as a friend, even if Blake didn’t understand that given the circumstances.
Andrew: I’m glad you came out man, I knew you’d be down for a night out on the strip and we could just have a good time regardless of what’s been happening.
Blake: I was glad you reached out, I won’t lie, I didn’t know what would become of us since the split but knowing that we are still good, able to be friends without any of the mess from work goes a long way!
Andrew: Besides, who else am I gonna hit up for Patriot games! We have a super bowl loss to avenge this season!
Blake: In Brady we trust!
Andrew: I’ll drink to that bitch!
They cheers their glasses and finish their drinks, they order one more and it arrives fairly quickly. They take a swig each and prepare to continue their night.
Andrew: Alright, now that the friend shit it out of the way, let’s go win some fucking money!
Blake: Can’t argue that!
They dust themselves off and make their way back into the casino, finally having the chance to just chill and enjoy the night together as friends was something important to Andrew. He didn’t want to be all business and all crush kill destroy around wrestling. He needed people that he could just unwind with and not have it be about the business in any capacity. Sure, they would still talk wrestling but it wouldn't be the precipice of their relationship. It would be more conducive to the Coyote and Sheepdog from the Looney Tunes type deal. Though Blake and Andrew wouldn’t be trying to kill each other at work but you get the point!
For Andrew, it was something to help get away from it all!
OOC: Shoot only from me, good luck mate
You know…
It's funny how there was so much build up to the biggest Pay Per View on the SCW calendar, and so much at stake for many individuals. I mean just look at what was on the card for crying out loud! Kennedy Street was up against Giovanni Aries for the World Title… There was a clusterfuck for the Tag Titles… Ravyn having to literally fight for her career… Zoe having to earn a rematch for the World Title as her whining wasn't working for a change… And of course who can forget about the Thunderdome match that pit Dylan Howell against the second coming of Jesus Christ… Erm, I mean Andrew Raynes. Sorry you'll have to forgive me for making that grave and serious error as for the past few months anyone would think that Raynes was some kind of deity with how he promotes himself on a regular basis… But yeah, my point is that the card was stacked from top to bottom and even those that weren't on the main show knocked it out of the park for all intents and purposes! Which is why I think I was lured from my hiatus sooner than I expected… I mean don't get me wrong, I love SCW and the fans are the most incredible people that I've ever had the honour to perform in front of in ANY promotion, but I was seriously thinking of making my return AFTER Rise To Greatness as opposed to just before… But it seems like the fates had other ideas! I was actually called out on live television folks, lil old me, Thomas Valentine… By a man that has had a less than stellar time, lately as far as advancing in the twilight of his career is concerned. Justin Davis has… Or should I say had a plan and fair play to the guy, he is sticking with said plan. He wrote out a list of people he wanted to face, obviously put his unrequited love interest, Josh Hudson right at the bottom and then set out to face them all for one reason or another; obviously with the intent to beat them… But what's also funny is how things don't quite work out how you want them sometimes, and trust me when I say I know how that one feels on a personal level… But getting back on track, I think that all the hype and adrenaline that builds up at this time of year… It must have gotten to Justin’s head and actually gave him the notion that I was going to be his ticket to put Josh on notice or something along those lines… Because anyone listening to his emotional if not misguided promotion for our match would believe that me getting one over on him all those years ago was some kind of fluke… That the better man didn't actually get the spoils. Everyone might be talking about practically everything else that happened on that night but what happened in my match leads me to ask a very important question…
Was it a fluke, Justin?
Were you truly the better man, but just a victim of circumstance?
Okay, that was two questions but the point remains. As I said before to you, dude… I was the better man and still AM the better man so all that's left to say is that I wish you luck getting what you want but we both know it was never going to be at my expense and especially not at Rise To Greatness! You were good then and you're still good now Justin so I'm sure you'll get over falling short against me AGAIN… But for me, I now have to move on from what has happened and once again focus on what I'm going to do… Which leads me back to the present.
Showing up at Breakdown in my hometown of Raleigh was as amazing as ever, each time I step foot in an arena there or anywhere in North Carolina for that matter, it reminds me that no matter where I choose to live… That i will only ever have one home! And what better place for me to have a good catch up with Jake and show him the best places to go in order to experience the best that Raleigh has to offer a person where drinking and eating are concerned. I know many people have wondered where I've been and why I've been away for so long and to be honest, even Jake wasn't in the loop as to everything that has happened whilst I've been away… But let's just say that I gave him the summarised notes and got onto more important things. Things like Jake bouncing back from what happened at Rise To Greatness when a naive do gooder decided to stick his beak into one of my best friends business… Things like discussing how we can make a mark on this business one more time at least… Things like talking about what I intend to do before saying farewell to a beloved career. Yeah I know it might sound a little depressing if you look into that too much, but I promise that it's not all doom and gloom really! You see, when I first started out in wrestling I never expected to get this far… Yeah, shocking huh? I just thought that it would be almost like a hobby that I used to earn a little extra cash and would have to get a job flipping patties in a fast food joint to pay the bills and support a family I'd only dreamt of having up until that point… I put every ounce of effort I had into wrestling and though it was slim pickings at first working on the independent scene, I got by. Then to cut a long story short I was actually scouted by a company who must have seem something in this snot nosed punk who used every last bit of cash he could get his hands on just to attend any shows that would have him. They put their faith in me and so I put my faith in them… Which then snowballed to the point that I was getting recognised in the freaking street! From that point onwards, things kept on going for me and by the time I'd signed up for Supreme Championship Wrestling, I was at least well off by anyone's standards and hadn't needed to flip a single patty to get there.
So instead of me fighting for scraps in a company with the quality of athletes that SCW has had over the years, I've had the good fortune to be a multiple time champion across the board, even capturing the Underground Championship and the Tag Team Titles more than once! This alone coloured what my plans are going forward, and after talking it through with Jake, we're on the same wavelength. At the Hall Of Fame ceremony, David Helms and i joked about a lot of things… But the one thing that was serious is for all three founding members of The Brotherhood to be in those halls together. For that however, I'll only be happy to have that honour if I check one more thing off my bucket list…
Supreme Champion status.
And of course for that to happen I need to finally get my grubby mitts on the one title left for me to complete my collection, and that of course is the Adrenaline Title… A belt that many say embodies what I'm about when I step into that ring. Now the interesting thing about that little nugget of information is who actually holds the belt at this very moment in time. A man that was pretty much the vanilla ice cream of wrestlers when he first came to SCW, someone that had decent skills but didn't have any sort of unique selling point, so to speak which might have caused people to say a little more than ‘Who?’ when you uttered his name in passing. Cue his departure from the company and then a surprise return… The guy that came back was a little different… So let's say more like vanilla ice cream with rainbow sprinkles. That skill was still there, but in the place of a personality rivalling that of a wooden plank… There was an attitude that started getting a bit more attention, does that sound about right Andrew? You came back and immediately set up your stall, figuratively speaking. You told the world what you wanted, that you were going to get it by any means necessary and no one was going to stand in your way blah blah blah. Granted you didn't do a whole lot of walking along with that talking you know how to do well… But why walk when you can make an impact by attacking people, interrupting matches and pushing exhausted members of the roster from the tops of ladders knowing full well they can't defend themselves, right? I'd be a hypocrite if I called you out on that and condemned you like many others have, dude and at the end of the day it got the result you wanted. You became Adrenaline Champion and surprisingly acted like an actual champion when it came to putting your money where your mouth is in that ring so bravo! However, that doesn't stop me feeling like you're a little like a broken record, unable to flap your gums about something that all the universe and their pet goldfish already know about… You’ve held the Title longer than any other champion on the active roster, good for you, we heard you the first thousand times!
On saying that though, was it divine intervention that you and your girlfriend have been pit against The Resurgence on Breakdown? Or has this been done deliberately to see how yours truly does against a team with you on it Andrew? Truth be told, it doesn't matter all that much when you get down to the brass tacks because on Breakdown we get to see what you're truly made of, now I know, I know… You have ‘destroyed’ everyone that's been put in front of you, I know you arguably pushed Dylan Howell into thinking about retirement following the Thunderdome match at Rise To Greatness, and I know there's every possibility that you MIGHT stand a chance against Christy Matthews at Apocalypse in spite of you believing its in the bag because… Well just because. But all of that means very little to me as I want to see for myself if you're worth all the hype you've whipped up for yourself. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not forgetting there are other factors in this match such as our partners but let's be realistic here, you're the mouthpiece for everything that you do or say you're going to do and the guy you have in your corner just turns up and does his part… Which is good for you of course, because having someone reliable in your corner is important… And that could be the difference in any match, so that's why I found it so interesting to read your tweet in the lead up to last Breakdown. You said about the possibility of sending Jake and i a message? Ring any bells? Well I figured you would be too busy cosying up to Bree and talking at Christy about yourself to even remember about such a trivial thing so I actually decided to send YOU a little message instead. I feel a little guilty about what I had to do to those guys who were just wanting to put food on the table and get a few extra dollars to help provide for their families… But I figured that on the off chance you saw the match, it would have been worth it just to give you a little taster of what you might have to deal with because in all honesty this is your teams match to win, Andrew and so The Resurgence are going to be looking to play spoiler, i mean come on… Your resume won't look half as impressive going forward when there's a list of people you've beaten and then a pesky little loss against two guys like us that can't be erased from the record books no matter how much you can talk a good game, right?
There are no guarantees in this business so I'm not going to say that Jake and I are going to come out of this one as the victors or anything clichéd like that, I'll leave that to you… However, I WILL say that if you believe you're going to have an easy ride on Breakdown, you'll be very disappointed!
Jake Starr: It has been some time since I walked out here and I said anything regarding SCW, and you know, there's a reason for it. It isn't because I lost at Rise to Greatness, which I'll touch on in a bit, but because I just decided to take some time for me. It's been a decade since I started running my mouth in SCW. 10 years... A long time when you think about those who have graced the hallowed halls of this organization. You think about those I was inducted into the Hall of Fame with, and you realize that over a decade's time, SCW has seen some of it's all time greats walk through those curtains. For once, I felt like one of them. For once, and I know I've said this before, I didn't feel I had anything left to "prove." So after Rise to Greatness, I went home. I went to my family. I went to my friends. I enjoyed the moment of what those nights meant. Why? Because for once in my career, I could say I had done it all, and I didn't want to let it pass. I didn't want something to overshadow the moment. I didn't want to let myself forget what SCW had bestowed upon me.
I was a Hall of Fame inductee.
For years, it was a moment I dreamed of. For years, it was the pinnacle of my career aspirations. Now, it's reality. It's that term that I have spent so many years harping on. It's real. I can't say it's something I'll lose, or ever have to defend. It's mine. It's something I had no say in, but what I did over my career justified. And for once, I wanted to go home and just be greatful. I wanted to sit there and let people be proud of me, and not feel like they were blowing smoke up my ass. I wanted to feel like what people were telling me was fucking real. And it was. Every word of it. From Shawn, to my wife, to Brandon, to David and Tommy, everyone told me their honest feelings about how I went out there and SCW had made the decision to recognize me for what I had earned. And dammit... For once in my career I wanted to just enjoy and savot the moment.
So I did. I went home, and I embraced the love and the admiration. I embraced those who praised my achievements and told me I deserved what I had gotten. I took the time to finally take a break to actually feel like a human being who had worked his ass off for that moment. But... As tends to happen, Jake Starr took over. I began to think of the fact that that I had lost at Rise to Greatness. I began to think about the fact that I had gone out there and slipped up, much like others had done before me on their big induction year. I began to wonder if I was like them, and simply enjoying that final curtain call.
Now, before I go further, let me say something to Mr. Allocco. My friend... You earned that victory. You avenged that loss to me inside the Chamber. I don't look back and have regrets, nor do I have any excuse for you winning. You were the better man, and you came out ready to prove that one night didn't mean the world. For that, I have to say you are a fucking damn-fine competitor. You are someone who embodies what SCW represents, and man, you bring one hell of a fight into the ring. You pushed me to a level that I wasn't ready for, or I was too distracted to prepare for, and you got the win at the biggest event of the year.
So I guess it's safe to say, we're one and one...
Now I'm not going to be bitter and call for an immediate rematch. Why? You earned some momentum, and you deserve to see it through. I've been in this business long enough to know our paths will cross again, and right now, I'm not going to be a spoiled fucking sport and try and say I want to kill what you earned. Instead, I want you to prove to the world that beating me wasn't some fluke for you. I want you to keep going, keep winning, and keep achieving whatever it is that is next for you. Why? Because you earned that right. You beat me on the grandest stage, man... You EARNED the right to go forward and not have some dickhead like me tell you that I'm out to stop you. Sure, you had a rough outing at Breakdown... You still beat me on a bigger stage, and one that can definitely help define your career.
So one loss means nothing to me...
One loss doesn't detract from what you did against me...
You never wrote off my victory over you, so you deserve the same respect. You deserve to know that, what you did at Rise to Greatness, was something I am happy to say you earned. I don't want to sell you short. You beat me. And having said that, like I said, our paths will cross eventually again, and the rubber match will happen. But until then, I won't look at you as someone who was lucky, someone who didn't deserve it, or someone who just caught me on a bad day. You were the better man, my friend. And I can say that knowing that when our paths cross, I'll have the opportunity to prove myself to you again. I will have my chance to win the infamous rubber match. But until then, you have the one-up on Jake Starr... So go out there and make sure that you don't waste that momentum, or let one single loss deter you from your ultimate goal of being back atop the SCW mountain...
.:: Jake shifts topics slightly. ::.
... But let's also be clear that, unlike some others who have been inducted and lost at Rise to Greatness, my time in SCW is not short. I'm like AIDS, and I'm not going anywhere. At Breakdown, while some were having a rougher go at it, Tommy and I rekindled our Resurgence and we went out there and we took care of business rather quickly. It was a moment that, personally, felt good. A lot of people don't realize the personal issues that have gone on behind the scenes, and it's not my place to talk publically about them, but the fact is, Tommy and I, while having rekindled our friendship, found our path filled with potholes and cobblestone roads.
That's why Breakdown was a special moment for me.
Tommy and I went out there and we put everything in our past in our rearview mirror. Tommy and I showed the world what the former Tag Team Champions are TRULY capable of doing. We dispatched of two people so fast it was like an NES Classic had gone on sale at Target. And we did so together. We didn't do so like what had felt like behind the scenes, where we were trying to one-up one another. Instead, it felt like The Resurgence. It felt like The Brotherhood, yes. It felt like Jake Starr and Thorn, and Jake Starr and Tommy Valentine. It felt like US. It was a moment that I think we both needed to finally take a step forward.
Now, when I say a step forward, I don't say so in the sense of we are magically Tag Title contenders again. Do I think we could win them, fuck yeah, but do I think we are on SCW's radar yet, probably not. And that's ok. Tommy and I aren't really the types who want to be completely coddled. Do we want and like title opportuntiies, yes, but let's be real, if we didn't think we could win them, then why are we wasting our time?
Same goes for SCW...
If they don't think The Resurgence is ready for that big moment, why put us in that moment yet? Why give us a chance when we haven't shown we were ready again? It's a waste of time if we aren't truly at our A game, and that's something I think it's safe to say, Tommy and I both want to be at. We don't want to just be cannon fodder for someone. We want to be the ones causing the damage. That's why, I don't care who it was we beat, they were simply a first step for us. We are a RESURGENCE for a reason. It's not just some fancy moniker we came up with some we didn't call ourselves "The Brotherhood" again, no, it was because of what we both stand for.
Tommy Valentine...
Jake Starr...
Two ICONS in SCW lore who have kind of become a shell of who they once were, and it's time they show the world that inside the Chamber, the matches before, et cetera, all of that wasn't just some flash in the pan. That's why at Breakdown Tommy Valentine and Jake Starr have to prove their Resurgence is real against Andrew Raynes and Dustin Adams.
.:: Jake shrugs. ::.
Not going to lie... No clue who they are!
.:: Jake smirks. ::.
I mean, c'mon, when have I actually not been honest when someone new crosses my path? I'm not saying they're two shit competitors, I'm just saying I don't have a fucking clue WHO they are, or WHAT they've accomplished. And honestly, that's not a real bad thing for them because I don't have a lot to go on. Instead, I have to focus on the reality of what Tommy and I can do. I have to look at these two people I don't know and know that between Tommy and I, we can take them, no matter HOW MCUH they bring to the table.
What Tommy and I are focusing on is simple... We want to prove to the world we still have what it takes to compete. Shit, I lost at Rise to Greatness, and in most years, my world would be falling apart. Instead, right now, I am using it as a learning experience. I am using it as my moment to grow. Why? Because I'm a different guy than I was when I walked into this place, just like Tommy is. We are BOTH different. We have BOTH evolved. We BOTH want that chance to continue to prove it as well.
See, Tommy and I realize that many don't believe in us anymore. Sure we can pull a win here or there. Sure we can surprise the world one day our of the year. But we want more. We want to be the guys peopel chase after. We want to be the champions people want to emulate. And if we sit here and rest on our laurels and believe that the past will carry us through, we are going to be like all of those other guys who were inducted and NEVER became anything more than a shell of the person they once were. We want to beat the stigma. We want to beat the expectations. We want to beat EVERYONE who dares to cross our path. Why? Because we're fucking assholes like that, and a tad greedy, I don't know.
But we want to make sure that we do what we do best!
So Andrew... Dustin... Yeah I don't know a whole lot about you, and I don't believe that takes away from what you two bring to this match. What I do believe though is that you two are being fed to the wolves. Not because Tommy and I are the cream of the crop, but for fuck's sake, we sure as shit want it and know what it'll take more than most... Including you two. So when you walk into that ring, and you look across and see two former World Champions and the former Tag Team Champions, understand that it's just business. I'm sure you'll both have your moments of glory, but it won't come at the expense of The Resurgence. Instead, you'll be the ones running to the back to warn the rest that Jake Starr and Tommy Valentine are not only on the same page, but they are beating people whilst on the same page.
And that's a bad tanedem to have together!
Breakdown will continue to be the "Next Level" of "The Resurgence," see what I did there? And it'll come at the expense of you two. Face it... We're back... And we're ready to rise to the occassion...
OOC Note: I'm adding this as another reply so the original isn't edited... This is promo only, obviously, as I was an idiot and didn't realize the forum change. Plus let me tell you, having to file protection orders from stalking is a stressful event for someone like me.
Anyway, I think I have my meds figured out and the panic attacks have subsided, so let's get this show on the road!