08-08-2026, 07:46 PM
PREVIOUSLY – OFF CAMERA
(Accepting the job at Next Level meant that for the first time in forever, Shaun didn’t have to worry about money when taking Dorothea out. Thus, again for the first time in forever, he had spoiled her rotten with a trip to the theme park, and although the tickets were extortionate, he didn’t care. Afterwards, they went to Dorothea’s favorite place for Ice Cream and Shaun had taken her shopping and now had probably the happiest daughter in the world, a fact not lost on Angyalka when he takes her home.)
Angyalka: Looks like you had fun?
Shaun: Don’t worry, this was a one off… thought she deserved it you know, after everything.
Angyalka: I don’t mind honestly… it’s nice to see a smile on both your faces.
Shaun: I can thank Owen for that
Angyalka: He’s just looking out for you like you did him.
Shaun: I know… it’s nice to feel normal again.
Dorothea: Mommy?
Angyalka: Yeah…
Dorothea: Where’s Molly?
(Molly was Dorothea’s cat, bought for her just a couple of weeks prior.)
Angyalka: She went out not long ago… probably still in the garden
(Dorothea goes off to find her cat, leaving Angyalka and Shaun alone, something both would have dreaded not too long ago.)
Angyalka: So how are things with… Grace wasn’t it?
(Shaun laughs)
Shaun: There is no ‘thing’ she’s just a friend
Angyalka: That’s how we started if I remember correctly.
Shaun: Guess so… But got enough on my plate without getting into that. Anyway…
(Recently, Shaun had been feeling many pangs of regret for how it had all finished with Angyalka. If he started something with Grace, that meant he would be burning any chance of a reconciliation with Angyalka.)
Angyalka: What is it, Shaun?
Shaun: Nothing… heads a shed now. Ignore me. Am ok to say bye to Thea?
Angyalka: Sure…
(Shaun heads out the kitchen and into the garden, looking left and right and then spotting Molly the cat, but no Dorothea.)
Shaun: Dorothea… where are you?
(He walks around the corner, his eyes widening as he notices the back gate wide open. He runs to it, and looks left and right down the street, before running back into the house, grabbing his keys.)
Angyalka: What’s wrong Shaun?
Shaun: Dorothea, she’s gone.
Angyalka: What… no she’ll just be hiding. Let’s…
Shaun: I’m telling you she’s been taken Angy… phone Chief Wilson. NOW.
(Stunned Angyalka picks up her phone, Shaun is already in his car and guns the engine before the precinct answers.)
Angyalka: Chief Wilson please… it’s Angyalka Cruze, my daughters been taken.
(Angyalka watches as Shaun speeds out the driveway and down the road, not concentrating as fear fills his mind, talking to himself.)
Shaun: You hurt her Drew and I swear… I’ll kill you.
(He runs a red light, driving aimlessly to a place he didn’t know. Not even realizing that however scared he was now, the biggest shock of all was still to come.)
RECORDING – ON CAMERA
(Rise to Greatness had always been the biggest wrestling event on the calendar, but this year it held even greater importance for Shaun. Somehow, he had found himself dragged once more into the ‘turf wars’ that had blighted the company for years, handling business that he didn’t necessarily believe was his. Over that time however, and with the words of Bekah ringing in his ears, he had come to realize that it was absolutely his business. And not just his business, but possibly the legacy his family would leave. His attitude had shifted slightly, and it wasn’t now just about accolades. It was about finally, after all these years, doing what was right. Starting with Rise to Greatness XXIII. He takes a breath for composure, before he starts to speak.)
“I’m not going to dwell on the go-home show, I think that all speaks for itself. Syren and I walked in, did what we do, and walked out… just like we said we would. There was nothing new to be learned, no surprises to be gleaned. Alistaire and Bree worked well together, Syren and I worked better. That’s the thing you see when you truly believe in something, and that you are on the right path. See, I know what the allegations are, how Syren and I are only here to relive past glories and that we are no longer the force we once were. I won’t speak too much on Syren, that’s not my place, instead I will concentrate only on myself. As such, before I come to you Alistaire, you can wait your turn, I’m going to clarify why I am back in Supreme Championship Wrestling after all these years. Yes, I do once again want to hold that World Championship in my hands. Yes, I do want to make sure that people like Frank and his motley crew don’t run this company into the ground. But the main reason I’m here is a lot simpler than all of that. It’s a reason that all of you with your multi-million-pound contracts couldn’t even understand. I’m back in SCW because I had no other choice, competing is literally all I have left. The film contracts. Gone. The media company. Gone. The money from those endeavors. Gone. The beautiful wife. Gone. ONE mistake cost me everything.”
(He lowers his head with a sigh, going over everything in his head.)
“Now, I know what most will say. Everyone has their problems, right? Very few lead the perfect life, that’s just not the way it works. I’m not telling you all this as some kind of pity party, or for anyone to feel sorry for me, I did enough of that on my own. And I’m also not going to go into the details of how I lost it all, because that is no-one’s business but mine. I’m only going to say this once, as clear as I possibly can. I came back, because there was nothing left. But now I am here, I can’t help thinking that all of that, me fucking up and ending up back in this industry that made me, where literally my life started is some kind of plan. A reboot if you would. To come back and not only write my wrongs, but the wrongs of an industry that gives people like Frank Delatosso and his band of merry idiots some sense of entitlement. Which brings me to you Alistaire Allocco… pull up a chair kiddo and listen up.”
(He hesitates, as if allowing that action to happen.)
“I’m going to be honest with you, the minute I knew this match was signed off, I went to the very best source of reference I had. Owen. Owen has battled both with, and against you, the two of you shared one of the moment memorable matches of all time for the World Championship, so if anyone knew you, it would be my nephew. I know what I expected to hear, after all I had already formed some sort of opinion from your actions. But what I got from him was totally contradictory to my opinion. Owen did, and still does consider you a friend, and one of the most talented wrestlers in the world. Truthfully, I didn’t think someone like you could be friends with anyone, how can anyone as self-centered as you achieve something like friendship? But then he explained further, and it became clearer, the penny kind of dropped for me. All this acting out you have been doing isn’t a direct reflection on you, it’s a direct reflection on your father. You once said you would never become him, and Owen Cruze believed you. But now Alistaire, you ARE him. The same sanctimonious prick he was, hiding behind some kind of fucking ‘mission’ to justify your bullshit. Now doesn’t that sound familiar. You tried Alistaire, you gave it a go, but then your DNA consumed you, the turn as obvious as your alliance with Frank became. Because that is the crux isn’t it Alistaire, your family has always used others to achieve success. I spoke about it last week, about how the Allocco’s have always had an obsession with the Cruze’s, and what better way to end that obsession than to destroy us with a readily compiled army. I mean the lure to use them is undeniable, and I must concede that Frank brought success to the perennial failure Gavin Taylor. But when it comes to it, where are they going to be when Rise to Greatness comes around?
They will be looking after themselves
Thing is Alistaire, according to Owen, I’m not telling you anything that you don’t already know. One thing I’ve never said is that your family has the stupid gene someone like Polly regularly presents. You’re big on history, and the story tells, so tell me, how many ‘supergroups’ such as yours last longer than a hit minute. Gavin becoming champion was never going to last, and that’s why Frank did a pivot. No one saw it as Frank claiming power, and nothing more than a temporary blip. You know as well as I do, this WILL all implode in time. So why don’t you come out and just tell the truth? When it does all implode, your concern isn’t for Bree, or Gavin, or our current World Champion Amelia Navado. The only thing you need is for when it does all turn to ash; it is Alistaire Allocco standing on top of the pile. All ‘this’ is nothing more than a means to an end.
Enter Shaun Cruze
You know as well as I do that our match at Rise to Greatness has nothing to do with Frank’s little quest to rid the world of those that made this industry what it is, and more to do with you trying to claim back superiority over me, and my family. We both know that this is nothing more than an attempt to defeat one of the biggest names in wrestling history, in front of the millions of people that will be watching all around the globe. But more than anything, it’s an attempt, just like Bree is doing with Syren, to prove categorically that YOU are the one who should be getting all of Frank’s attention. And you know what Alistaire, I don’t have to be a psychologist to tell you what is going on here. It’s Daddy issues all over again. You want to be the one that ‘Daddy’ is proud of. Thing is Alistaire, and I’m going to speak for parents all around the world now. Owen thinks you are a great guy, and I know friendships can exist outside of this sport, even if you do sit both sides of the fence within it. But being a parent demands one thing, NOT giving in to the actions of a petulant little child. You believe you are the top man, and yet Amelia is light years ahead of you.
Why?
Although her choices are flawed, ultimately, she believes in what she is doing, and hasn’t lost sight of the fact that she is a generational wrestler. I can already see the buzzards circling her, waiting for her to slip. Remember what Syren said, your group isn’t unified, it’s all about competition. And your intention is the same as your father’s; the statement he lived his career by. Make the impact and win at ANY cost. Your statement is taking down the man who made ‘impacts’ his bread and butter. Just so ‘Daddy’ can pat you on the tushie and tell you that you did good.”
(He allows himself the slightest of smiles before continuing.)
“See, the one thing I don’t think you have thought of here Alistaire is the ‘how’ you are going to achieve your wishes. I agree with you wholeheartedly, beating me in Detroit will be a statement victory that to be fair looking at the card can only be surpassed by Bree defeating Syren. You win, and when Frank tucks you into bed that night, maybe, just maybe he’ll allow you some milk and cookies for being a ‘good boy’, before reading you ‘We’re going on a bear hunt’, which Owen tells me is your favorite. Can I go out on a limb here and say that I think you will look to wrestle me and use your superior technical ability? That’s got to be the most likely surely? You’ll look to that, because when it comes to every other attribute, whether you care to admit it or not, you are inferior. Now, I’m sure over the course of this week, you are going to regale me with your claims of being the best wrestler in the world, and you know what, I won’t deny it. It’s a lofty statement, which many claim, but who am I to argue? How would I counteract that? That’s simple. I was never the best wrestler in the world and I did alright, the ‘Icon’ Orlando Cruze, the same. Owen? Probably the better wrestler out of all of us, but the best? Probably not. Yet still, my family won more than most. It’s not rocket science; we have claimed it on many occasions. We have admitted more times than I can remember that when it comes to the technicalities of this sport, the Cruze family are far from mugs, but by the same token cannot compare to Braddock’s, or the Street’s when it comes to pure wrestling talent. And yet more times than not, we came out the other side. For a million and one reasons that I won’t bore you with, I’ll just refer to the two most obvious. Heart is ingrained in our DNA. Courage a fundamental part of our set up. We don’t give up. We scrap, we fight, we hang in there and we take our chances when they present themselves. Remember how I started this promo… I was at my lowest ebb and yet here I am, at Rise to Greatness once again. You only see this as a chance for you to claim superiority in your little group, but this match has given me a chance as well. This season, my comeback was all about finding my feet again, making my daughter proud of me once more. Rise to Greatness won’t be your message to Frank, well it will, but not the one you want. It will be my message to the world.
I’m ready. To rise.
To rise above all the bullshit and give the fan base someone that champion or not, they can get behind without worrying about being disappointed should someone like Frank come along and try to turn my head. Ready to not have to be a movie star, or a businessman, and give all my intention to the two loves of my life. This industry, and my daughter Dorothea. That was my problem before Alistaire, I spread myself too thin and yet achieved it all. Just imagine if you will, what I can do with this industry as my primary focus once again.
And therein lies the thing, although you may well subscribe to this feeling that I am aged, or past my best, it’s something I’ve never even thought to consider. Sure, I might not be as fast as I was a decade ago, but knowing yourself and what you can do, using that wealth of experience I have gained over those years, is not to be sniffed at. It’s a scientific fact that wrestlers reach their peak between thirty and forty, look around the industry and that will be confirmed for you. Those in their twenties are the ones forming these opinions. Bree Lancaster is thirty-six now. Glory Braddock nearly forty-three. Selena Frost thirty-six. Syren the same. You think there isn’t a place for these people, Alistaire. People who have done things that you can only currently dream of. It’s pathetic, and it’s only used because it forms a narrative. But do you know what most of those examples have, and I’m going to include Gavin because he’s been thirty for over a decade now…”
(Shaun sniggers… the wrinkles didn’t lie in Ultra HD for pure Gavin.)
“…They have all had recent successes and all added to their always growing legacy. What have you done of late Alistaire that is of true merit? Blind sided your way to a Rise to Greatness match of substance? Worked as one of Frank’s lapdogs? You didn’t bother speaking last week, such is your work ethic, another fatherly trait you unfortunately inherited. Thus, it’s difficult for me to know for sure, so I’m going to hazard a guess. My guess is that you believe you have all worked it out. You refused to fight me in the ring, using the weight of Rise of Greatness as the means to make your statement. You’ve refused to go face to face, all because you think your wrestling will do the talking when it matters. Well, I’ve got a newsflash for you dipshit, so listen up. You, just like your father know fuck all about me. You, just like Adam, believe everything I worked for, was handed to me on a plate. Don’t feel bad, you’re not alone, but you don’t know me at all, and you cannot comprehend how much I need this. How could you? With the entitlement spoon still firmly rammed up your ass, how could you ever know what it means to work for a living? And I was wrong before, it IS your fault, because you had a choice and you chose wrong. In Detroit, you will face those repercussions. Did you know that Allocco means Owl in Italian, and that the eyes of an owl were thought to signify gullibility? It all fits together that you would follow the sheep instead of forming your own opinion. YOUR demise, destined to follow that of your Fathers.”
(He pauses, his final words on the tip of his tongue, but the silence used to signify the huge ramifications for them both should they use. He then speaks, his tone still undeniably confident.)
“Alistaire, I’m going to call it right now. Your hubris, your belief system has taken you down a path that ends only in your defeat. Once again, we are faced with a situation where despite everything, and every dominance my family has had over yours, you are still walking in with an unwarranted superiority complex that will be your undoing. You believe the result is going to change, but what have you done any differently? The broken record banality of the Allocco family once again brought to the fore Once again, with all the talent in the world as perhaps the greatest exponent of such our industry possesses, you walk into a confrontation with a Cruze blindly with your eyes firmly closed. As such, it will never matter how good you are if you can’t comprehend the basics. It’s ironic that the closest an Allocco came was against Owen, way back when. When you were the best version of yourself and rightly deemed the future of this company. When you didn’t lower yourself as you do right now. Mirror Image of Adam Allocco… Frank Delatosso’s third choice puppet. After Rise to Greatness, you will have been given another lesson, but will you have taken anything from it, I doubt it. But I won’t care, you lost all my respect the moment you cheap shot me from behind and interjected yourself into my business. No, my only concern will be moving forwards, continuing to be a pain in Frank’s backside, while confirming what the educated knew all along.”
(He winks at the camera.)
“Legacy and how you should be remembered is everything. The Allocco family currently will be remembered for skill, yes, no question, but primarily for their antics. And that is something that you and your father have brought on the family name. You can change that, Alistaire; in fact, it looked like you would at one point. For me, the Cruze name is now in my hands, and although we will be remembered fondly, that’s not enough. We were part of a movement that changed this industry for the better. Now, I want to carry that legacy and build a future. Solidifying the Cruze name forever. Sounds impossible, doesn’t it? But to my family, impossible is nothing. Our legacy will be as the family that brought in the new era, an era where competition is everything and talent, not age, is what is deemed important. But it’s not all bad news for you Alistaire, because you will be known as the guy on which this new era began…”
(He salutes the camera.)
“The greatest impact of them all.
Forever, the wrestling industry WILL know our name
And yours will forever be… the running joke.”
(Shaun holds up his hands and slow hand claps as the scene fades.)
(Accepting the job at Next Level meant that for the first time in forever, Shaun didn’t have to worry about money when taking Dorothea out. Thus, again for the first time in forever, he had spoiled her rotten with a trip to the theme park, and although the tickets were extortionate, he didn’t care. Afterwards, they went to Dorothea’s favorite place for Ice Cream and Shaun had taken her shopping and now had probably the happiest daughter in the world, a fact not lost on Angyalka when he takes her home.)
Angyalka: Looks like you had fun?
Shaun: Don’t worry, this was a one off… thought she deserved it you know, after everything.
Angyalka: I don’t mind honestly… it’s nice to see a smile on both your faces.
Shaun: I can thank Owen for that
Angyalka: He’s just looking out for you like you did him.
Shaun: I know… it’s nice to feel normal again.
Dorothea: Mommy?
Angyalka: Yeah…
Dorothea: Where’s Molly?
(Molly was Dorothea’s cat, bought for her just a couple of weeks prior.)
Angyalka: She went out not long ago… probably still in the garden
(Dorothea goes off to find her cat, leaving Angyalka and Shaun alone, something both would have dreaded not too long ago.)
Angyalka: So how are things with… Grace wasn’t it?
(Shaun laughs)
Shaun: There is no ‘thing’ she’s just a friend
Angyalka: That’s how we started if I remember correctly.
Shaun: Guess so… But got enough on my plate without getting into that. Anyway…
(Recently, Shaun had been feeling many pangs of regret for how it had all finished with Angyalka. If he started something with Grace, that meant he would be burning any chance of a reconciliation with Angyalka.)
Angyalka: What is it, Shaun?
Shaun: Nothing… heads a shed now. Ignore me. Am ok to say bye to Thea?
Angyalka: Sure…
(Shaun heads out the kitchen and into the garden, looking left and right and then spotting Molly the cat, but no Dorothea.)
Shaun: Dorothea… where are you?
(He walks around the corner, his eyes widening as he notices the back gate wide open. He runs to it, and looks left and right down the street, before running back into the house, grabbing his keys.)
Angyalka: What’s wrong Shaun?
Shaun: Dorothea, she’s gone.
Angyalka: What… no she’ll just be hiding. Let’s…
Shaun: I’m telling you she’s been taken Angy… phone Chief Wilson. NOW.
(Stunned Angyalka picks up her phone, Shaun is already in his car and guns the engine before the precinct answers.)
Angyalka: Chief Wilson please… it’s Angyalka Cruze, my daughters been taken.
(Angyalka watches as Shaun speeds out the driveway and down the road, not concentrating as fear fills his mind, talking to himself.)
Shaun: You hurt her Drew and I swear… I’ll kill you.
(He runs a red light, driving aimlessly to a place he didn’t know. Not even realizing that however scared he was now, the biggest shock of all was still to come.)
RECORDING – ON CAMERA
(Rise to Greatness had always been the biggest wrestling event on the calendar, but this year it held even greater importance for Shaun. Somehow, he had found himself dragged once more into the ‘turf wars’ that had blighted the company for years, handling business that he didn’t necessarily believe was his. Over that time however, and with the words of Bekah ringing in his ears, he had come to realize that it was absolutely his business. And not just his business, but possibly the legacy his family would leave. His attitude had shifted slightly, and it wasn’t now just about accolades. It was about finally, after all these years, doing what was right. Starting with Rise to Greatness XXIII. He takes a breath for composure, before he starts to speak.)
“I’m not going to dwell on the go-home show, I think that all speaks for itself. Syren and I walked in, did what we do, and walked out… just like we said we would. There was nothing new to be learned, no surprises to be gleaned. Alistaire and Bree worked well together, Syren and I worked better. That’s the thing you see when you truly believe in something, and that you are on the right path. See, I know what the allegations are, how Syren and I are only here to relive past glories and that we are no longer the force we once were. I won’t speak too much on Syren, that’s not my place, instead I will concentrate only on myself. As such, before I come to you Alistaire, you can wait your turn, I’m going to clarify why I am back in Supreme Championship Wrestling after all these years. Yes, I do once again want to hold that World Championship in my hands. Yes, I do want to make sure that people like Frank and his motley crew don’t run this company into the ground. But the main reason I’m here is a lot simpler than all of that. It’s a reason that all of you with your multi-million-pound contracts couldn’t even understand. I’m back in SCW because I had no other choice, competing is literally all I have left. The film contracts. Gone. The media company. Gone. The money from those endeavors. Gone. The beautiful wife. Gone. ONE mistake cost me everything.”
(He lowers his head with a sigh, going over everything in his head.)
“Now, I know what most will say. Everyone has their problems, right? Very few lead the perfect life, that’s just not the way it works. I’m not telling you all this as some kind of pity party, or for anyone to feel sorry for me, I did enough of that on my own. And I’m also not going to go into the details of how I lost it all, because that is no-one’s business but mine. I’m only going to say this once, as clear as I possibly can. I came back, because there was nothing left. But now I am here, I can’t help thinking that all of that, me fucking up and ending up back in this industry that made me, where literally my life started is some kind of plan. A reboot if you would. To come back and not only write my wrongs, but the wrongs of an industry that gives people like Frank Delatosso and his band of merry idiots some sense of entitlement. Which brings me to you Alistaire Allocco… pull up a chair kiddo and listen up.”
(He hesitates, as if allowing that action to happen.)
“I’m going to be honest with you, the minute I knew this match was signed off, I went to the very best source of reference I had. Owen. Owen has battled both with, and against you, the two of you shared one of the moment memorable matches of all time for the World Championship, so if anyone knew you, it would be my nephew. I know what I expected to hear, after all I had already formed some sort of opinion from your actions. But what I got from him was totally contradictory to my opinion. Owen did, and still does consider you a friend, and one of the most talented wrestlers in the world. Truthfully, I didn’t think someone like you could be friends with anyone, how can anyone as self-centered as you achieve something like friendship? But then he explained further, and it became clearer, the penny kind of dropped for me. All this acting out you have been doing isn’t a direct reflection on you, it’s a direct reflection on your father. You once said you would never become him, and Owen Cruze believed you. But now Alistaire, you ARE him. The same sanctimonious prick he was, hiding behind some kind of fucking ‘mission’ to justify your bullshit. Now doesn’t that sound familiar. You tried Alistaire, you gave it a go, but then your DNA consumed you, the turn as obvious as your alliance with Frank became. Because that is the crux isn’t it Alistaire, your family has always used others to achieve success. I spoke about it last week, about how the Allocco’s have always had an obsession with the Cruze’s, and what better way to end that obsession than to destroy us with a readily compiled army. I mean the lure to use them is undeniable, and I must concede that Frank brought success to the perennial failure Gavin Taylor. But when it comes to it, where are they going to be when Rise to Greatness comes around?
They will be looking after themselves
Thing is Alistaire, according to Owen, I’m not telling you anything that you don’t already know. One thing I’ve never said is that your family has the stupid gene someone like Polly regularly presents. You’re big on history, and the story tells, so tell me, how many ‘supergroups’ such as yours last longer than a hit minute. Gavin becoming champion was never going to last, and that’s why Frank did a pivot. No one saw it as Frank claiming power, and nothing more than a temporary blip. You know as well as I do, this WILL all implode in time. So why don’t you come out and just tell the truth? When it does all implode, your concern isn’t for Bree, or Gavin, or our current World Champion Amelia Navado. The only thing you need is for when it does all turn to ash; it is Alistaire Allocco standing on top of the pile. All ‘this’ is nothing more than a means to an end.
Enter Shaun Cruze
You know as well as I do that our match at Rise to Greatness has nothing to do with Frank’s little quest to rid the world of those that made this industry what it is, and more to do with you trying to claim back superiority over me, and my family. We both know that this is nothing more than an attempt to defeat one of the biggest names in wrestling history, in front of the millions of people that will be watching all around the globe. But more than anything, it’s an attempt, just like Bree is doing with Syren, to prove categorically that YOU are the one who should be getting all of Frank’s attention. And you know what Alistaire, I don’t have to be a psychologist to tell you what is going on here. It’s Daddy issues all over again. You want to be the one that ‘Daddy’ is proud of. Thing is Alistaire, and I’m going to speak for parents all around the world now. Owen thinks you are a great guy, and I know friendships can exist outside of this sport, even if you do sit both sides of the fence within it. But being a parent demands one thing, NOT giving in to the actions of a petulant little child. You believe you are the top man, and yet Amelia is light years ahead of you.
Why?
Although her choices are flawed, ultimately, she believes in what she is doing, and hasn’t lost sight of the fact that she is a generational wrestler. I can already see the buzzards circling her, waiting for her to slip. Remember what Syren said, your group isn’t unified, it’s all about competition. And your intention is the same as your father’s; the statement he lived his career by. Make the impact and win at ANY cost. Your statement is taking down the man who made ‘impacts’ his bread and butter. Just so ‘Daddy’ can pat you on the tushie and tell you that you did good.”
(He allows himself the slightest of smiles before continuing.)
“See, the one thing I don’t think you have thought of here Alistaire is the ‘how’ you are going to achieve your wishes. I agree with you wholeheartedly, beating me in Detroit will be a statement victory that to be fair looking at the card can only be surpassed by Bree defeating Syren. You win, and when Frank tucks you into bed that night, maybe, just maybe he’ll allow you some milk and cookies for being a ‘good boy’, before reading you ‘We’re going on a bear hunt’, which Owen tells me is your favorite. Can I go out on a limb here and say that I think you will look to wrestle me and use your superior technical ability? That’s got to be the most likely surely? You’ll look to that, because when it comes to every other attribute, whether you care to admit it or not, you are inferior. Now, I’m sure over the course of this week, you are going to regale me with your claims of being the best wrestler in the world, and you know what, I won’t deny it. It’s a lofty statement, which many claim, but who am I to argue? How would I counteract that? That’s simple. I was never the best wrestler in the world and I did alright, the ‘Icon’ Orlando Cruze, the same. Owen? Probably the better wrestler out of all of us, but the best? Probably not. Yet still, my family won more than most. It’s not rocket science; we have claimed it on many occasions. We have admitted more times than I can remember that when it comes to the technicalities of this sport, the Cruze family are far from mugs, but by the same token cannot compare to Braddock’s, or the Street’s when it comes to pure wrestling talent. And yet more times than not, we came out the other side. For a million and one reasons that I won’t bore you with, I’ll just refer to the two most obvious. Heart is ingrained in our DNA. Courage a fundamental part of our set up. We don’t give up. We scrap, we fight, we hang in there and we take our chances when they present themselves. Remember how I started this promo… I was at my lowest ebb and yet here I am, at Rise to Greatness once again. You only see this as a chance for you to claim superiority in your little group, but this match has given me a chance as well. This season, my comeback was all about finding my feet again, making my daughter proud of me once more. Rise to Greatness won’t be your message to Frank, well it will, but not the one you want. It will be my message to the world.
I’m ready. To rise.
To rise above all the bullshit and give the fan base someone that champion or not, they can get behind without worrying about being disappointed should someone like Frank come along and try to turn my head. Ready to not have to be a movie star, or a businessman, and give all my intention to the two loves of my life. This industry, and my daughter Dorothea. That was my problem before Alistaire, I spread myself too thin and yet achieved it all. Just imagine if you will, what I can do with this industry as my primary focus once again.
And therein lies the thing, although you may well subscribe to this feeling that I am aged, or past my best, it’s something I’ve never even thought to consider. Sure, I might not be as fast as I was a decade ago, but knowing yourself and what you can do, using that wealth of experience I have gained over those years, is not to be sniffed at. It’s a scientific fact that wrestlers reach their peak between thirty and forty, look around the industry and that will be confirmed for you. Those in their twenties are the ones forming these opinions. Bree Lancaster is thirty-six now. Glory Braddock nearly forty-three. Selena Frost thirty-six. Syren the same. You think there isn’t a place for these people, Alistaire. People who have done things that you can only currently dream of. It’s pathetic, and it’s only used because it forms a narrative. But do you know what most of those examples have, and I’m going to include Gavin because he’s been thirty for over a decade now…”
(Shaun sniggers… the wrinkles didn’t lie in Ultra HD for pure Gavin.)
“…They have all had recent successes and all added to their always growing legacy. What have you done of late Alistaire that is of true merit? Blind sided your way to a Rise to Greatness match of substance? Worked as one of Frank’s lapdogs? You didn’t bother speaking last week, such is your work ethic, another fatherly trait you unfortunately inherited. Thus, it’s difficult for me to know for sure, so I’m going to hazard a guess. My guess is that you believe you have all worked it out. You refused to fight me in the ring, using the weight of Rise of Greatness as the means to make your statement. You’ve refused to go face to face, all because you think your wrestling will do the talking when it matters. Well, I’ve got a newsflash for you dipshit, so listen up. You, just like your father know fuck all about me. You, just like Adam, believe everything I worked for, was handed to me on a plate. Don’t feel bad, you’re not alone, but you don’t know me at all, and you cannot comprehend how much I need this. How could you? With the entitlement spoon still firmly rammed up your ass, how could you ever know what it means to work for a living? And I was wrong before, it IS your fault, because you had a choice and you chose wrong. In Detroit, you will face those repercussions. Did you know that Allocco means Owl in Italian, and that the eyes of an owl were thought to signify gullibility? It all fits together that you would follow the sheep instead of forming your own opinion. YOUR demise, destined to follow that of your Fathers.”
(He pauses, his final words on the tip of his tongue, but the silence used to signify the huge ramifications for them both should they use. He then speaks, his tone still undeniably confident.)
“Alistaire, I’m going to call it right now. Your hubris, your belief system has taken you down a path that ends only in your defeat. Once again, we are faced with a situation where despite everything, and every dominance my family has had over yours, you are still walking in with an unwarranted superiority complex that will be your undoing. You believe the result is going to change, but what have you done any differently? The broken record banality of the Allocco family once again brought to the fore Once again, with all the talent in the world as perhaps the greatest exponent of such our industry possesses, you walk into a confrontation with a Cruze blindly with your eyes firmly closed. As such, it will never matter how good you are if you can’t comprehend the basics. It’s ironic that the closest an Allocco came was against Owen, way back when. When you were the best version of yourself and rightly deemed the future of this company. When you didn’t lower yourself as you do right now. Mirror Image of Adam Allocco… Frank Delatosso’s third choice puppet. After Rise to Greatness, you will have been given another lesson, but will you have taken anything from it, I doubt it. But I won’t care, you lost all my respect the moment you cheap shot me from behind and interjected yourself into my business. No, my only concern will be moving forwards, continuing to be a pain in Frank’s backside, while confirming what the educated knew all along.”
(He winks at the camera.)
“Legacy and how you should be remembered is everything. The Allocco family currently will be remembered for skill, yes, no question, but primarily for their antics. And that is something that you and your father have brought on the family name. You can change that, Alistaire; in fact, it looked like you would at one point. For me, the Cruze name is now in my hands, and although we will be remembered fondly, that’s not enough. We were part of a movement that changed this industry for the better. Now, I want to carry that legacy and build a future. Solidifying the Cruze name forever. Sounds impossible, doesn’t it? But to my family, impossible is nothing. Our legacy will be as the family that brought in the new era, an era where competition is everything and talent, not age, is what is deemed important. But it’s not all bad news for you Alistaire, because you will be known as the guy on which this new era began…”
(He salutes the camera.)
“The greatest impact of them all.
Forever, the wrestling industry WILL know our name
And yours will forever be… the running joke.”
(Shaun holds up his hands and slow hand claps as the scene fades.)
![[Image: BCO-d859afd8-a571-4714-93bf-e68bfeb36b78.png]](https://i.ibb.co/qM80nB1W/BCO-d859afd8-a571-4714-93bf-e68bfeb36b78.png)