Waylon Creek vs. Amelia Nevado

[Wisteria Waltz]

We find ourselves in a gym, and from what we can see through the windows, this gym is located in the heart of Glendale, Arizona, where this week's Breakdown is set to take place. The heat certainly makes for a stark contrast when compared to the chill running through Philadelphia last week, but if there's one person who knows a thing or two about staying cool when the heat gets turned up, it's Amelia Nevado. We find her seated on a gym bench, dressed in a tanktop and shorts and covered in sweat as she seems to be taking a small break from the intense workout she's been doing, grabbing a drink of water to keep herself hydrated. Behind her, we can make out the familiar figure of La Pequeña Luz, also dressed in a tanktop and shorts along with her usual mask, doing what we can clearly see are back exercises. Amelia glances back at Luz with a smile, and judging by the fact that Luz doesn't seem to be trembling or showing any noticeable pain or problems, it seems like she's managed to work some strength into her back once more after everything it's endured over the past few months. Luz glances over and she and Amelia exchange nods before Luz returns her focus to her workout, and Amelia's attention shifts fully to us.

“When I first started in this business, my parents had high expectations for me. Although, that said... calling them 'high expectations' doesn't do it justice. My father took immense pride in being considered one of the best grapplers throughout all of Europe, and my mother was the kind of woman who made being the absolute best, bar none, the bare minimum she expected both of herself and of anyone she associated with. I've talked before about the grueling training they put me through, even when I was still a child, but that was only the beginning of my wrestling journey. When I was finally old enough to compete in my very first match, there were three things that my parents demanded of me.

I was to win, decisively, no matter who my opponent was or how good they were supposed to be.

I was to dominate them, show them that I was the superior wrestler using nothing but my technical prowess.

I was to always be the absolute perfect wrestler... I could never show pain, frustration, or weakness, I couldn't be outwrestled, and unless I was truly, properly pinned or submitted, any 'losses' I may have happened to rack up were to be ignored because of the clear proof that whoever my opponents was proved they were incapable of actually overcoming me on nothing but the very thing all wrestlers build themselves from.

For the first year or so of my career, none of that was an issue. I never met an opponent I couldn't outwrestle, anyone who thought they could pull underhanded stunts to gain an advantage over me ultimately failed, and during that time, I never lost a single match. I wasn't just undefeated, I was perfect... and yet, for as much as my parents would brag and gloat about it, it was never enough for them. My undefeated record, my in-ring perfection, they were considered the least I could be doing and I still had to push myself farther, become more than even that. I was miserable... I know many would consider an undefeated streak as a badge of honor, but for me, it was just part of the burden I had to bear, all because I was a Blythe. The thought of losing was a joke because there wasn't supposed to ever be anyone, anywhere in the world, who could ever hold a candle to my talents, and had I stayed on that path and still found my way to SCW... well, that expectation would have held, and maybe I would've been 'disciplined' for something as ridiculous as simply not being World Champion right now, because my parents always had to get their way and I had to bend to their whims no matter how impossible the task.

Thankfully... my path took a detour, and it's all thanks to the wonderful woman behind me.

No one thought much of Luz at first. Yes, she was a fighter, and an incredible wrestler in her own right even back then, but people only cared for her because they wanted her to follow in her father's footsteps and felt she wasn't living up to his legacy... a situation that was very similar to my own, except everyone BUT my parents felt I was living up to the Blythe name despite being virtually unstoppable. In me, Luz found a fire that pushed her to become something more, define her own legacy beyond just being the daughter of a legendary luchador, and in her, I found a rival who I couldn't seem to overcome no matter how hard I tried, despite supposedly being superior to her. Luz is, to date, the only person who has ever truly broken my Blight Choke, and the woman who ultimately ended my undefeated ways... and freed me from that incredible burden. Most importantly, in the face of the fear I felt over how my parents were going to react, she extended an olive branch to me and showed me that I don't need to be perfect to prove myself in this business, and especially not to be the person I truly want to be in life.

Why am I telling you all this? It's because those early days of my career are very similar to that of the very man I will cross paths with on Breakdown this week right here in Glendale... and it's a cautionary tale for a man who, contrary to maybe his own beliefs and the beliefs of everyone around him, finds his own undefeated streak in jeopardy.”

Amelia pauses to take another drink of her water, using the moment to clear her thoughts. We see her crack her neck and roll her shoulders, shaking off the painful memories of her past and devoting all of her focus on the here and now, especially knowing what challenge stands before her.

“Last week on Breakdown, it was announced by CHBK that Luz and I will team with the Dangerous Minds to face the entirety of the Fall of Man in Tactical Warfare at the upcoming Dogfight in Düsseldorf pay-per-view, and that show ended with James Evans proving how much of a hypocrite he truly is when he defeated Luz, not because he actually outwrestled her, but because he had to rely on the chaos caused by our soon-to-be partners in that war and Waylon Creek blindsiding me. William Heaven capped it all off by listing everything he believes his little group has taken from all of us and claiming that this week, they're going to take my heart.

Now, I'm no stranger to head games... Lord knows Luz and I have been dealing with them outside the ring from a nasty little group that is disturbingly similar to the Fall of Man for quite some time now. What I can tell you, however, is this: for your claims of having taken Luz's back from her, you can clearly see behind me that it's recovered a lot even despite what James attempted to pull last week, which makes it all the more interesting that he had to rely on trying to weaponize our relationship against Luz just to beat her when he supposedly should've been able to based on that preexisting damage alone. As for my heart? You're not being very subtle, William... and you're also terribly underestimating both Luz and myself. I can see why you'd believe this is all a foregone conclusion, though: you have a former World Champion, a man who has yet to 'properly taste defeat' and arguably one of the most chaotic figures in SCW's long and storied history, so how could you possibly fail?

Well... pride comes before the fall, as the old saying goes.

That leads me to you, Waylon. The undefeated force of nature in question, and being completely honest from my own experience? That's not an easy feat to achieve, and something I do respect you for. True, I could point out some of the moments where you do, technically, have a blemish on your record, but as I explained earlier, I, too, held that same mindset once where none of it counted unless you were either directly pinned or made to tap out. That challenge now falls to me this week, not just to write the latest chapter in this war you and James have waged against us before neither of you believe we've truly earned anything we've shed our blood, sweat, and tears for over the past two years since coming back to this company to try again, but for something potentially more important in the short term: the advantage in the entry order for Tactical Warfare. While neither one of us may have ever set foot into that double cage environment, I've done my homework and know full well that sometimes, that little advantage can make all the difference. That, in and of itself, is all the reason I need to fight this week to ensure that the Fall of Man does not get that advantage, especially since you're all terrible at hiding your true intentions and believe that this is somehow going to end with your little group getting everything you think you deserve.

In my honest, humble opinion, Waylon... that is where you've allowed William Heaven to lead you astray.

Before you start getting defensive, allow me to explain. Much as my parents did with me so very long ago when I seemed unstoppable, William has set this bar for you and is constantly raising it, not because he's challenging you to reach more and more impossible heights, but because he's expecting it of you. He's practically built this entire group around you, around the idea that you are the undisputed future of SCW and you all are going to force that to become reality one way or another. And yet, despite all the success you've had in that ring, none of which I'll deny, you haven't gotten what William, and perhaps yourself, feel you truly deserve. You've allowed yourself to buy into this belief that if you stick with William's vision, everything will fall into place. Which then leads me to a very important question:

What happens when the impossible finally becomes reality? What happens when you finally taste that elusive direct defeat for the very first time?”

Amelia pauses to let that question sink in for Waylon, curious as to whether he'll actually ponder it or if he'll just shrug it off like she once did before her image of perfection was shattered by a luchadora that, in her infinite pride, she realized in hindsight she had horribly underestimated. She can't resist glancing back to check on Luz's progress and finding that bright grin she loves so much plastered to her wife's face, with Luz even blowing her a kiss before resuming her back workouts with still little to no sign of any lingering discomfort. Amelia just chuckles before shifting her focus back to us, knowing she's probably giving the Fall of Man more fuel for their fire and defiantly not caring.

“Once upon a time, I never thought the day would come where I would have to answer that question, Waylon... and when that day finally did come, I felt like my entire world was destroyed before my very eyes. Who was I if I couldn't be feared and respected as THE perfect wrestler who could never be beaten? Worse yet, as petty as this will sound, I knew my parents would not accept that defeat lightly because my failure ruined all of their precious plans for me. And yet, Luz stepped up to the plate, despite being the reason I had lost everything I worked so hard to build, and showed me another path. From there, I found a way to rebound and began rebuilding myself into both the wrestler and the woman I am today.

Can you honestly stand there and tell me William Heaven and the rest of the Fall of Man would be that supportive when reality finally comes crashing down around you?

Of course, you've made it very clear that despite all the respect you say you have for both Luz and myself, you clearly don't believe that I could possibly be the one to finally blemish your precious 'perfect' record. And why? Because I can't escalate to your level, the level where you're willing to cross whatever boundaries you have to all just so you can maintain that illusion that Waylon Creek is invincible. That's just it, though... it's nothing more than an illusion you're relying on to protect you from when you finally taste defeat and have to show the world how, or even if, you can respond after it all lays shattered at your feet. I've seen through that illusion Waylon, and not just because I once believed it in myself before having to finally face reality, and all I need to turn this entire narrative that you, James and William have been spinning on its head are five words:

Clockwork Orange House of Fun.

You all can try to pretend that match never happened because you lost without actually being the one pinned, but in doing so you've also forgotten what happened in that match Waylon. Not only did Luz and I take everything you and James had to throw at us and keep fighting no matter how beaten, bloodied and battered you left us, but we responded in kind. Despite our competitive nature, we didn't hesitate to use whatever we could get our hands on while still respecting the rules—or lack thereof—to both defend ourselves and show you exactly how hard we will fight when pushed too far if it means defending not only everything that we've earned up to this point, but also everything that matters to us in this world. You can write it off as a fluke all you want or believe that last week was a sign of things to come and this week you'll be helping the rest of the Fall of Man prepare our graves, but I'm going to warn you now Waylon:

I'm not afraid to die. And neither is Luz.

So by all means, come to Breakdown believing you already know exactly how this is going to end, but keep that question I asked you firmly in the back of your mind. No matter how far you're willing to go, Waylon, I will fight to persevere and I will find a way to make you answer that question when all is set and done. That, Waylon, is ultimately how your legacy in this business is going to be defined. Not by whatever violence you think will allow you to bully your way to the very top, but by how you pick up the pieces when that undefeated record that you've built this whole endeavor on is ripped out from under you and leaves William scrambling to try and save face.

And even if I happen to fail in being the one to do so here in Glendale come Friday night?

I know I'll get another chance to do so very soon, because Luz and I will still walk out of that arena with our heads held high and be more than ready to meet you and everyone else in Düsseldorf, still unbroken and still ready to adapt and fight through the Fall of Man no matter what it takes. So think over the experiences I've shared with you today Waylon... because sooner or later, the fate that befell me early in my career WILL befall you as well.”

With one last drink of her water, Amelia stands up and gives us one final nod before she turns and steps over the gym bench, going to join Luz who looks like she's just finishing up her workout, only for the couple to head off deeper into the gym for further training together, standing strong and defiant against the threats levied against them because they know, deep in their hearts, that no matter how dark this war may get, they will find a way to persevere and shine through it.