Network banned; No Holds Barred
Xander Valentine vs. Dante McCaffery
2 RP Limit for singles; 4 RP Limit for tag
Deadline: Noon ET Tuesday, March 26, 2019
Note: I could have pulled an all nighter to get the CD done, but since what I'm about to do is pretty big, I wanted to get sleep. So I'll post this promo and I'll post my CD, when it's done, later in the week.
[Scene opens...]
[The first image we all see is of Dante McCaffery, riding in the back seat of an Uber driver. Peering out of the window with a silver suit jacket with matching pants, he doesn't look at the camera, choosing instead to continue looking out the window.]
Dante: SCW's Executioner. Xander. I'm not going to waste my time talking about you. I'm going to make this quick since...it seems that me and you have another match coming up. Breakdown, me and you. No Holds Barred. A match to your advantage. No rules. No restrictions. And I can't have anyone in what you all call "the Network" at ringside. The last time we were in the ring Xander, I lost to you. And now we face off against with no rules? You have the advantage. As if you already need one.
[Dante strokes his chin.]
Dante: But that's the irony of this situation. You do need this one advantage. You do need this advantage. Already. You already need something to get the upper hand after what happened at Retribution. What happened at Retribution, Xander? Hm?
[Dante faces the camera, stone-faced.]
Dante: Tell the world. Admit it. I know that goes against your pride and your legacy and your name. Your legend. These people know what happened but you're going to spend your time trying to remind all of us of the people you've destroyed. The careers you've ended and the things you are still capable of doing. I'm a witness to the pain that you cause. Both as a spectator and as someone who actively went through it. I still feel a few bruises from the last match we had a match ago. But I want you to say it.
I don't want to force you to admit it.
It's better if you do that yourself.
[Dante's face relaxes as he leans back into his seat.]
Dante: You went into Retribution, thinking you were going to go through LEO by using your name, your legend. And you left humbled. It wasn't hard setting that up. You're a man of rage. You're a man longing for existence. You could rest on what you've done but you keep coming back. So I know something's missing. I don't know what that is, but I'll find out soon.
[Dante leans into the camera.]
Dante: Trust me on that.
[He then leans back into his seat.]
Dante: But even if you want to say that me or Jack or Savali played a role in your humiliation, that wouldn't cover the fact that you still went toe to toe with LEO. Throwing haymakers, kicks, shoulder blocks. You guys went to war. And the result of that was LEO knocking you unconscious. They had to carry you out of the arena Xander. How does that make you feel? How has that felt the past two weeks?
I know that eats away at you.
Your calling card is your brutality. Your intimidation. LEO watched as you dispatched all of us, waiting for you. He could have jumped in, he could have gotten you from behind. He waited for you to look him in the eye. So he could then kick your ass. And he kicked your ass, Xander. He didn't get rattled. He didn't bow at the presence of your legend. He didn't back down. He looked you in the eye, took your best shot and knocked you out with his. And honestly? I think everyone will agree. It was with ease. He didn't break a sweat. You got some good shots in. But it's like what Jack mentioned the other day. You may have heard his name and you may have seen him a few times, but you've never actually faced him. And now we know what happens when Xander Valentine meets LEO.
The bigger you are.
The harder LEO hits.
And the harder you fall.
[Dante softens his face a bit.]
Dante: You've had two weeks to think about this. And I know Breakdown you'll want blood. You'll want my blood. You'll want to put me in the hospital. I get it. I'm aware of it. I know there's a good chance that you will hurt me. You beat me last time and last time, I wanted to beat you Xander. I don't say that often because I feel as if SCW, wrestling as a whole, there's a bigger game in play. The battles I fight Xander are the ones these fans don't see.
Retribution marked two years since I made the hardest choice of my life; killing PUNK HAZARD and starting from scratch. Killing an established brand so I can prosper. It also marked four years since I came to SCW and wrestled my first match. Four years have came and went really fast. And in those four years, I have won those battles that no one else sees and now I stand before all of you one of the most powerful men in this industry. I am in the veins of SCW. What you people call the Newtork is in the veins of SCW. And EMERGE. And elsewhere. That's important Xander. You know why?
[Dante lets out an exhale.]
Dante: It's because...I have the means, the resources and the numbers to put you down for good Xander.
And you don't.
And you think that doesn't matter. Because you're going to turn to what you know best. Destroying people. Hurting people. Like I said, physicality I can't do shit against you. That's why I lost last time. And with a No Holds Barred match, clearly I'm at a disadvantage. So I will admit you Xander that I'm walking into a match where clearly the deck is stacked against me. But this match.
[Dante pressed his lips together.]
Dante: This match is a little bit different. Because the aim, I will admit Xander, isn't just to beat you. Now, I want to beat you. The idea that i beat you and take away your advantage? I know that will drive you crazy. I know it will. Because like any legend, you have an ego. And like any legend, when that gets threatened, you look at those titles that you've won, that hall of Fame ring, hose awards and you start to questions yourself because you took that would be enough. But, but. We're playing a long game here. I don't need to rush. We're not rushing. What LEO did to you wasn't even what he was fully capable of. That's because we're content with bleeding you out Xander.
How do you execute the Executioner?
You bleed him out.
You tear every foundation apart first before you bring the wrecking ball.
Call me a coward. I don't fucking care. But what you can't say I'm not is resourceful. I'm the one with the numbers. We're the ones with the means. So of course we're going to use that. Where's Kayta now? Where's Dark Fantasy now? Not on your side. You took you were going to be in Tactical Warfare.
I thought we were going to be partners.
We don't get what we want, do we?
So why wouldn't we use that to our advantage, Xander? Why wouldn't we? But tearing you down is more than just physical or what happens in the ring. Everyone has demons. Even monsters. Even monsters have things they push in the closet.
Isn't that right Xander?
[Dante pauses purposely.)
Dante: After our match, Jack is next. I'll kill the suspense. Next person you'll see in that ring is Jack Parker. He's a former World Champion like you. I know you want to get your hands of LEO. I won't speak for him but I know he would welcome that. But every show, every match, the goal is simple. Expose more chinks to that amour of yours. First. We kill your name. We kill your legend. That's already happening. You don't even know it but it is. Then we wear you out. And then finally, destruction.
LEO is your destruction.
All of us are.
Breakdown, my goal is to continue what LEO started. I hope you have scouted out the arena, Xander. because while "The Network" can't e involved, you still have to left the arena. And like I've already established, there's a lot more people on my side then yours. And if you're limiting that to the people you've seen, then you never really took the time to understand who i am and what I've done. Like I said, it's a game within the game. You got to make it out of the night clean right? You can't hide. Predictably, you won't want to. because you're stubborn as fuck. Every show it's going to be this way. You want to fight us alone? Be alert. You picked the wrong Xander and now you have to deal with the result of those actions.
i want to beat you at Breakdown. People don't give me credit for this. I've been hit by the best of them. And every time I get back up. I don't brag about it because it's our job to do so. But I've taken a lot of shots and no one has been able to take me out.
You could break me Xander.
You could paralyze me by the end of the night.
It's a risk on my part. But I will not let you of all people ruin what I've spent four years building. Not you. It won't be you. But we will be the ones that's responsible for the permanent, end of Xander Valentine. I'm willing to take that risk if that means that you will be no more. So for you, you better hope that you're able to cripple me. Because if you can't, then...you will just be continuing your death march til the end.
It won't be the end of me. Because I have the power. i'm the one in control. I have all the cards.
it won't be the end of me. Not by a longshot.
But for you?
In more ways than one.
In more ways than one.
[FIN]