Deanna Frost vs. Gavin Taylor

[SnowQueenSCW]

The camera opens up to reveal a shot of a lovely little lake, surrounding by trees and foliage. Some of the leaves have already began to turn more towards their autumn colors while others are still clinging to the bright greens of spring. The sun is just peaking over the horizon of the woods, allowing some of the houses off in the distance to be seen amidst their spaces, a neighbourhood build around this lake and connected by it. Panning back, the camera shot is revealed to be on a deck, one of many, that connects physically into the water. Sitting there, taking the beauty of the environment is, is Deanna Frost, the United States Champion. Her auburn hair is free flowing down her back and she wears a pair of blue jeans and a light green shirt with black sandals. Taking a deep breath to inhale the fresh air, the newly named Red-Manned Lioness opens her eyes and turns towards the camera.

So… where do we start?

She offers a warm, affectionate smile towards the camera, to the fans she is sure are watching. Hello, little gritters. Been awhile, hasn’t it? Hope everyone had a good August month! Spring vacation still going on! My kids are getting ready to go back to school too, fall is coming and SCW is back for its 22nd season!

She gives a quiet sigh, letting her assessment sink in a little.

A year ago, I had just become the United States champion, having won it off of Bree Lancaster and then retaining it from Alexis Quinne… only to hit the ground running with another title defense against Bree on the first Breakdown of the season. she gives a little tilt of her head. I remember being so nervous. Like ‘could I do it again?’, ‘Was that Rise to Greatness weekend just a fluke?’, ‘was it all going to be undone on my first title defense for a championship I had spent so many months trying to be good enough to challenge for?’.

She casts her gaze out into the lake. Now… here we are a year later… and I am still the United States champion. Over a year with the second greatest championship in this company. It’s almost – and please don’t hate me for saying this word – it just feels unbelievable. Almost unreal. Because I look back at what I went through – what we went through – from then to now.

A triple threat match.
Two elimination chamber matches.
A last woman standing match.
And more Breakdown title defenses than I can say.
All culminating into two title defenses on both the RTG pre-show and main-show.

Her small hands rub her leg. And yet…somehow… I’m still here – we’re still here. Still with the title. Now, I know that there’s a record for this title that I will probably NEVER beat but that isn’t important to me. Having the second longest reign in this championship’s  twenty year history is an honor in and of itself, not to mention having the longest reign of any title in the last eight years… she gives a shrug. Is it arrogant that I’m proud of that and humbled by it at the same time? she looks earnestly into the camera.

Just… when I began this, it was just because I loved watching my wif- she catches herself. Watching Selena wrestle and I just… I wanted to try it. I practiced in secret, staying as a manager to the public, until I felt I was good enough to try. And it’s been a crazy near three years. And to spend most of them holding some kind of a championship…

The redhead stops herself, releasing a sigh before shaking her head. I’m not really getting to the elephant in the room, am I? I’m just remarking on still being a champion, not the two glaringly obvious things that came out of Rise to Greatness regarding the championship. she gives a sigh.

And this is where I usually have to go on some spiel about ‘getting lucky’ and the last match ‘being controversial because of interference’. And it is – I won’t lie and pretend that it isn’t. But for me… it’s almost ironic. Here was a man, a veteran that bragged non-stop about his experience and me being ‘distracted’ with my other demons and it was his own that cost him the match with me. she sighs.

That… that just feels like karma. Doesn’t it, Knox? You mouthed off with me being unable to focus on you and yet… here we are. Don’t get me wrong! I’ll give you another shot any time. I’ll be happy to do it. Because as skilled as you are and as adaptable as you proved to be… I held my own. Despite what I went through the previous night, I held my own against you – a supposed ‘superior’ being. And now, that air of mystique about you is gone. Now, I see a wrestler that I can study, I can learn from. So I’ll happily prove once again that I am more than what you believe me to be. But to paraphrase you? I think you need to handle your ‘big boy problems’ before that happens. You seem to have someone that deserves your attention far more than I do…

She gives a shrug. Which brings me to the bigger elephant in the room, and the man that deserves MY attention more than anyone else does… The night before my match with Knox. The match, the attack… the fire… The redhead visibly shivers, but not from the coolness of the air. Again, you prove something to me, Enigma. You proved that simply beating you isn’t enough. Simply beating you in the ring and being better than you and your ‘shadows’ and ‘darkness’ isn’t enough to get the job done. she releases another sigh. You managed to get to me again, Enigma. I’ll give you that. Despite losing the match, you left with the last word – while I needed to be carried out.

But if you think this is over… you’re VERY wrong. her eyes narrow. Because this doesn’t end until YOU surrender your hold over Jessica Winters forever! Until you release her and never bother her again! Until your power over her are banished from SCW! I don’t… she breathes. I don’t care how it can be done and I don’t care what it will take but I will find a way… I swear it…

Taking a few breaths, the young champion adjusts her sitting position on the dock. Which leads me into Breakdown. Where I show everyone just how ‘focused’ and ‘back’ I am! Cause that’s what I’ve been asked. If I’m okay enough to come back after the matches I had. And why I’m grateful for the month off from SCW as we prepared for the new season.

Yes, to confirm, I am back and in full 100% health. And I am itching to prove it to Enigma, Knox, and to everyone! And what better way than a match? And with Gavin Taylor no less! Another victor at Rise to Greatness! I’ll give you props, Gavin! You ask anyone about who’s the best at pulling victory out of nowhere? Your name will probably come up! From Syren to just last pay-per-view, you rolled in and ‘blink and you’ll miss it’, suddenly Gavin is the winner.

Admittedly, it’s not what I would have done. I rather fight my battles with grit and determination, while you used strategy and cunning. Does that put me at a disadvantage? Able to be outsmarted? Maybe. But unlike JC and Dumont, I don’t have to worry about more than one opponent. I just have to worry about you. Which means, Gavin, that my eyes are going to be locked on you from the beginning to the end of this match. From the second the bell rings to the second ringing of the bell to end it.

And while you pulled a rabbit out of your hat once or twice at RTG in the past, gaining upset after upset, we are NOT at RTG anymore. This is Breakdown, this is the new season, and I want to start off strong, Gavin. I want to live up to Knox’s assessment of me as ‘the most dominant champion in SCW today’. I want Enigma to know the kind of ‘hunter’ and ‘predator’ that is going to be on his track from the moment the opening song for Breakdown hits! I want to make it very clear that I am not slowing down, not even by a little!

Taking a moment to let her words settle, Deanna rolls her shoulders back. You’ve been doing quite a bit of talking, Gavin. About wanting to climb your way back to the top. Where the name Gavin Taylor is spoken up in reference to ‘future challengers for the world title’. I’m sure that’s what you see this as – same way as Knox saw me. Beat Deanna – United States champion – and instant push. Like strapping a rocket to your back and setting it off. A small smile graces her lips. What you don’t realize is how much of a change that hits with me. To go from just ‘the shadow of Selena’ to someone who has some value in SCW. To go from being ‘the weaker Frost’ or ‘someone to beat to get to Selena’ to just ‘beating Deanna means something’…

Do you know why that is, Gavin? she turns her head back to the camera, tilting her head a little at the question.

It’s because of not only what’s been accomplished, but how much better I’ve gotten. To put it another way, I can count on one hand the number of losses I’ve had in 2024. The people I’ve beaten? Former world champions, legends, newcomers, rising stars – a wide-range of ‘who’s who’ in the roster of SCW today! And while some may say that’s because of tainted finishes – none of which I am proud of – the true reason is because of my grit. It’s because I keep going. Because I don’t let things like people being ‘stronger’ or ‘more experienced’ or ‘magically evil’ or whatever – I don’t let those things frighten me off. I keep fighting. I keep looking for a way to overcome what’s before me. Because, in the end, no matter how smart or strong or ‘magical’ you are – the real power comes from here…

She places a finger over her heart. And that, Gavin, is where I have you. That is what will be making all the difference in Dallas at Breakdown. A point in your mind where your All-American skill isn’t going to cut it and you’ll start relying on being crafty over, as Sharper put it, a ‘gutsy performance’. That moment where you show your brains, yes, but also your desperation. Except, this time, you won’t be sneaking in to blast your opponent with a lariat. This time, your opponent will see it coming and be meeting you with a Burnout that will leave you flat on your back, staring up at the lights!

Casting one last look at the lake, Deanna gives one last inhale and exhale of breath. It’s a new world in SCW, Gavin. Almost every top title has a new champion. New challengers. And new rules – what did they call it? The Wild Wild West? she smiles at the idea. It’s time to see where the two of us stack in this new world…

And I’ll tell you, Gavin… I don’t plan to just tip-toe into this “western”. No, sir… I plan to kick the door down and blow the roof off. Outlaw, Law-Abiding-Citizen, Sheriff, who knows where I’ll go and who this lioness will be! But one thing is definitely for certain… however I do it, it will be anything but quiet! Burnouts never are!

She smiles knowingly at the camera. Checkmate, bitches. Before everything fades completely to black.