08-28-2020, 08:35 PM
09-01-2020, 10:33 PM
Pure Wrestling Empire Academy
Reno, Nevada
August 29th, 2020
Afternoon
SpecOps had come to Supreme Championship Wrestling and had been victorious in their first showing. Clive and James had won their debut tag team match in impressive style in El Paso. The change to El Paso had been made at the last minute to compensate for the tropical storm affecting Houston. However, Imanov would be making his debut in Omaha in a singles match on the next addition of Breakdown. It was a strange feeling to be getting back into the ring as an active competitor after being out of action for over two years.
Imanov had changed a lot in that time as evidenced by his move to Las Vegas the year before. It had been deemed easier for his family for them to be in the States with the rest of the extended family than to be isolated in Istra, Russia. Besides he had needed a change of pace for his sake. He had almost lapsed back into his alcoholism with no active competition to keep him grounded to sobriety.
"Imanov you seem distracted."
Imanov shakes his head as the voice of his grandfather breaks into his thoughts.
"Sorry General. I was reflecting on the strangeness of getting back into the ring as a competitor after so long. You know how the last time turned out when I was used as cannon fodder in a war for control of the company I was in then. We all know how that turned out with my only winning a pair of the thirteen matches I had there. Though in the end it was for nothing as we all know the company went under as a result of what was happening."
"I know Imanov and I also know that you did the best you card with the deck stacked against your every effort. You know what they did to your father during all of that conflict and how that turned out for him. He is fighting to get what he is owed there now that they are back in operation. However, that doesn't tell me how you are feeling going into this upcoming match up."
There is a long pause as Imanov looks at the larger man who was his 78 year old grandfather, Nigel Grant. Imanov reflects that the older man sitting there was fitter than most men half his age. Even after a heart attack a few years earlier Nigel was a man who oozed confidence. It was that confidence that made him the perfect man to manage SpecOps.
"I know but it is hard to put into words. I feel nervous about this match and I don't understand why. I mean I have spent thousands of hours training since my last contract but I don't know if I am ready enough to get back into the ring."
"Listen Imanov, you are more than ready. If James and Clive can get back to the ring after seven years then you are leaps and bounds ahead of them having only been out of competition for two years. Besides, wrestling is what this family does. You are a natural in the ring and your combat training only honed that skill. You will be fine on Breakdown and when you are having your arm raised in victory you will know I was right. Beside James and Clive will be out there to prevent any interference."
Imanov nods slightly as he listens to the words his grandfather spoke. It was the truth as the extended family had accrued a significant amount of wrestling hardware. From his father to his multi of his siblings the dynasty had become entrenched in the wrestling industry. Of course, Imanov had yet to win his own professional left wrestling gold but that was his goal for this run in the ring. However, he had to have a successful return to a professional wrestling ring.
"I know but I can't help but wonder if I am going to let you all down. Look at the last time we did this. I didn't do anyone any good the last time SpecOps was active. Though I know that had more than a little to do with the backstage politics that plagued that company. Alright, General, what intel do you have my Breakdown opponent."
"Your opponent is a woman named Erica Eden. She won two of the three matches she had with the loss coming due to outside interference. From what I can tell Miss Eden is on a quest to show that female professional wrestlers can be bonafide athletes. It seems that her trainer, Josh Hudson, wants to show that women in the industry aren't just eye candy."
Hearing this makes Imanov chuckle since he had trained with his sisters and some of the women who had come through the various academies had worked in over the years. While looks sure helped in the wrestling business he knew full well how athletic and dangerous a woman could be inside the wrestling ring. In fact, Imanov had experienced first hand that underestimating a woman in wrestling could be a serious mistake.
"So neither of them have met our family. No that it matters since I am a student of history and I know full well that the one of the most dangerous warrior cultures in the world was the Amazons."
With a smirk on his lips he passes his grandfather his phone to have his next words recorded.
"Come this Breakdown I make my return to the professional side of this industry after more than two years. I will be facing none other than Erica Edea, a woman who seeks to show the world that women can be combat athletes just like men can be. Before I share my opinion on that topic let's look at some simple facts. Erica is a 5 foot 6, 127 pound rookie who is about to step into the ring for her fourth professional wrestling match. Or at least that is what my manager could find in the records. I on the other hand, am 6 foot 4 and 249 with over seven years of experience to my name.
[b]On paper I have every advantage but I know how deceiving that can be. Paper doesn't take into account things like heart and will to win. Stats don't take into account speed or desire. I have learned one thing over the years and that is not to take anyone I face in the ring lightly. It is a lesson that my father has shown me throughout his entire career. He is a man who over the 13 years years of his professional career has often been the smaller opponent in his contests. Yet for all of that he has won 45 different championships often in the face of intense doubt and uncertainty.
I am sure you are curious what that has to do with my match against Erica on Breakdown. Simply this, Erica wants to be treated like an equal in the ring. She wants to be treated like she is an athlete and not a piece of eye candy. Trust me when I say, I will treat her like I would any man who steps into the ring with me. Once that bell rings I will stop at nothing to make Erica tapout. Barring a submission victory I will knock her out and leave her unconscious body in the center of the ring.
Our match will be my first match in over two years and will now let my comrades in SpecOps down by being the weak link. We have just arrived and our mission in Supreme Championship Wrestling hasn't even begun. See you all at Breakdown when you will see what I can inside a ring."[/b]
[b]On paper I have every advantage but I know how deceiving that can be. Paper doesn't take into account things like heart and will to win. Stats don't take into account speed or desire. I have learned one thing over the years and that is not to take anyone I face in the ring lightly. It is a lesson that my father has shown me throughout his entire career. He is a man who over the 13 years years of his professional career has often been the smaller opponent in his contests. Yet for all of that he has won 45 different championships often in the face of intense doubt and uncertainty.
I am sure you are curious what that has to do with my match against Erica on Breakdown. Simply this, Erica wants to be treated like an equal in the ring. She wants to be treated like she is an athlete and not a piece of eye candy. Trust me when I say, I will treat her like I would any man who steps into the ring with me. Once that bell rings I will stop at nothing to make Erica tapout. Barring a submission victory I will knock her out and leave her unconscious body in the center of the ring.
Our match will be my first match in over two years and will now let my comrades in SpecOps down by being the weak link. We have just arrived and our mission in Supreme Championship Wrestling hasn't even begun. See you all at Breakdown when you will see what I can inside a ring."[/b]
Imanov falls silent as he takes back his phone and ends the recording before sending it to the SCW website. Once he does this he returns it to his pocket before letting out a deep breath. He would need to go get ready for his flight to Omaha soon but he felt much better now having talked to his grandfather.
09-01-2020, 10:42 PM
OOC: This, friends, is what I call a "so I don't no-show promo." Apologies.
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Well. SCW hasn't quite gone my way lately, has it? I thought I was off to a good start with the wins over those local talents after my debut. But then I stepped in the ring with real SCW stars, contracted wrestlers. Cassidy Carter... loss. Yeah, it was by DQ cause someone ran in and messed with her, but I didn't get to finish it the way I wanted. Ridley Ellis. I don't even want to talk about that one, his manager said strange things to me over Twitter and I'd like to stay off their radar. Then there was Rise to Greatness weekend. The triple threat on the preshow where I joined Crystal Zdunich and Holly Adams. And got myself pinned by Holly. Not that there's anything to be ashamed of about that, Holly is an SCW legend and a new Hall of Fame member. But again... it wasn't what I wanted.
None of this is what I expected.
Don't get me wrong, I didn't expect to show up here and mow everyone down and be a champion already or anything ridiculous like that. I know I'm far to new, and probably too green for all that, despite my training. I guess I'm just disappointed in myself. I know I can do better. I know I AM better. I told Josh recently that maybe I made a mistake coming here so soon. He promptly told me I was being stupid. You guys probably know him better than I do, you know he's blunt like that. And on hearing it... I decided he was right. He wouldn't have gotten me into the door here if he didn't think I was ready. He wouldn't be in my corner, putting all of his career and reputation behind me if he didn't think I was good enough.
I realized that the problem isn't that I'm not good enough or that I don't deserve to be here. The problem has been in my head. I might be ready physically, have the talent and the strength to step up to anyone in the ring, but mentally?
I beat myself before I got in the ring. Or maybe even before I got into the arena.
The time off after Rise to Greatness though gave me time to reflect about all of this. Maybe my own feelings that I wasn't REALLY ready for this held me back. But I know what I need to do now. Josh helped me obviously, gave me his own version of a few pep talks, which are probably more accurately described as “tough love lectures.” But at the end of the day, I know that it all comes down to me. Josh might be in my corner in and out of the ring but Josh isn't fighting my matches for me. When the bell rings, I'm in there with my opponent all by myself.
And the only person who can make me believe I'm good enough, I belong here, and that I can win... is myself.
Imanov... sorry, I don't want to butcher your last name.... we'll meet in that ring this week. You're relatively new to SCW too, although not new to the business. From what I've heard, you have a lot more experience than I do, years. So has every other contracted wrestler I've faced so far. Maybe that's what got into my head. But I'm not gonna let that happen this week. Experience isn't the only thing that matters, it's not the only thing that determines who will win or lose. There are things like determination, motivation, heart. I don't know you from Adam but what I do know is that I'm tired of getting in my own way and I am determined to do better.
I AM better.
I want to prove that I'm not here just because Josh Hudson trained me and pulled strings to get me a contract. That I'm not some young woman who's swimming in water too deep. I know what I'm capable of, and I'm going to put my best foot forward, keep my head on straight from now on, and do everything I can to prove that I can hang with this roster.
You might still beat me, Imanov. But I'm not gonna make it easy, which I'm sure is what you want. It's what all true competitors want, and I promise you right now that I am going to bring everything I have to this match. I don't really have anything to lose, I'm already at the bottom of the totem pole. But I do have a whole lot to gain, even if I don't win. Experience... confidence... and hopefully some respect, for the way that I will never back down or give up.
Everyone has to start somewhere, right? I guess I'm just starting again. See you at Breakdown, sir.
--------------------------------------
Well. SCW hasn't quite gone my way lately, has it? I thought I was off to a good start with the wins over those local talents after my debut. But then I stepped in the ring with real SCW stars, contracted wrestlers. Cassidy Carter... loss. Yeah, it was by DQ cause someone ran in and messed with her, but I didn't get to finish it the way I wanted. Ridley Ellis. I don't even want to talk about that one, his manager said strange things to me over Twitter and I'd like to stay off their radar. Then there was Rise to Greatness weekend. The triple threat on the preshow where I joined Crystal Zdunich and Holly Adams. And got myself pinned by Holly. Not that there's anything to be ashamed of about that, Holly is an SCW legend and a new Hall of Fame member. But again... it wasn't what I wanted.
None of this is what I expected.
Don't get me wrong, I didn't expect to show up here and mow everyone down and be a champion already or anything ridiculous like that. I know I'm far to new, and probably too green for all that, despite my training. I guess I'm just disappointed in myself. I know I can do better. I know I AM better. I told Josh recently that maybe I made a mistake coming here so soon. He promptly told me I was being stupid. You guys probably know him better than I do, you know he's blunt like that. And on hearing it... I decided he was right. He wouldn't have gotten me into the door here if he didn't think I was ready. He wouldn't be in my corner, putting all of his career and reputation behind me if he didn't think I was good enough.
I realized that the problem isn't that I'm not good enough or that I don't deserve to be here. The problem has been in my head. I might be ready physically, have the talent and the strength to step up to anyone in the ring, but mentally?
I beat myself before I got in the ring. Or maybe even before I got into the arena.
The time off after Rise to Greatness though gave me time to reflect about all of this. Maybe my own feelings that I wasn't REALLY ready for this held me back. But I know what I need to do now. Josh helped me obviously, gave me his own version of a few pep talks, which are probably more accurately described as “tough love lectures.” But at the end of the day, I know that it all comes down to me. Josh might be in my corner in and out of the ring but Josh isn't fighting my matches for me. When the bell rings, I'm in there with my opponent all by myself.
And the only person who can make me believe I'm good enough, I belong here, and that I can win... is myself.
Imanov... sorry, I don't want to butcher your last name.... we'll meet in that ring this week. You're relatively new to SCW too, although not new to the business. From what I've heard, you have a lot more experience than I do, years. So has every other contracted wrestler I've faced so far. Maybe that's what got into my head. But I'm not gonna let that happen this week. Experience isn't the only thing that matters, it's not the only thing that determines who will win or lose. There are things like determination, motivation, heart. I don't know you from Adam but what I do know is that I'm tired of getting in my own way and I am determined to do better.
I AM better.
I want to prove that I'm not here just because Josh Hudson trained me and pulled strings to get me a contract. That I'm not some young woman who's swimming in water too deep. I know what I'm capable of, and I'm going to put my best foot forward, keep my head on straight from now on, and do everything I can to prove that I can hang with this roster.
You might still beat me, Imanov. But I'm not gonna make it easy, which I'm sure is what you want. It's what all true competitors want, and I promise you right now that I am going to bring everything I have to this match. I don't really have anything to lose, I'm already at the bottom of the totem pole. But I do have a whole lot to gain, even if I don't win. Experience... confidence... and hopefully some respect, for the way that I will never back down or give up.
Everyone has to start somewhere, right? I guess I'm just starting again. See you at Breakdown, sir.