Tiberius Octavian Dupree no longer surrounded by an entourage of OCW officials to do his bidding. Is instead a singularity of beauty in the black hole they call Baltimore, Maryland.
Operating camera equipment is not beyond his Betterness, he’s been in this business long enough to be capable of everything related to professional wrestling. The camera sits slightly below eye level giving Dupree a more dominating presence.
The OCW Legend just glares into the camera as if belittling the thousands in attendance and the millions watching at home one by one. An uncomfortable 69 seconds pass before he decides to speak.
Dupree: I have a few questions for you….
Resting his hand on his chin he continues.
Dupree: How can someone be a One Man Revolution in a group of four?
He pretends to do complicated math by counting on his perfectly manicured fingers.
Dupree: Doesn’t add up does it, because everything Bobby Minio represents is a phreaking fallacy. He actually thinks he’s somehow special, somehow a voice of pride. When in fact he’s just Jookie Marley with a better vocabulary and better selling merch.
Dupree: Everyday I hear things like ”Oh My God Becky this is Bobby’s year”. You know how many times I’ve heard that?
He does more advanced math by counting on his perfectly manicured fingers again.
Dupree: As many times as I’ve watched him fade into nothingness after preaching to the high heavens of change. So why should this year be any different for Bobby? Because he’s finally won a championship?
Dupree: Please, the Pride Championship doesn’t belong on him to begin with. One accolade in a long road of disappointment is still just a long road of disappointment. So go ahead jump on his bandwagon of hope and see where it phreaking gets you.
You can feel his disgust in your living room.
Dupree: Every mark and their ugly mother wants to call FAME the bad guys. Even having the nerve to call me a villain like I just climbed out a trash barrel in Osaka, Japan to lace up for some gimmick match with Ryu.
He cracks his classic half smile at his long time nemesis.
Dupree: Do you people not understand? We are professional wrestling, we are phreaking heart and soul of OCW. We want to once again bring you the greatest WRESTLING matches this industry has to offer.
Dupree: We can’t do that surrounded by phreaking mediocrity, we can’t make this place better by hoping talent like Bobby Minio sticks around long enough to be a star.
He’s legit tired of saying Bobby’s name, you can hear it in his voice.
Dupree: Hope is not what has kept this company afloat for 15 years. We are what kept this company afloat for the last 15 years, Paul Pugh, Tiberius Octavian Dupree and Nate Ortiz. We are the ones that headlined damn near every major event in this company’s history.
Looking undoubtedly sure of himself.
Dupree: So only we know what’s truly best for OCW and tonight I will show you all just that with absolute certainty. Because not just the Pride Championship is on the line tonight, but the Pride of Professional Wrestling itself.
Whomever was working the production booth did a perfect transitioning fade to a FAME promo ad featuring Dupree, Pugh and Nate’s greatest matches. After the promo we then fade to ringside.
The Camera Pans To The Ramp!
The scene is set backstage at Certified Greatness. Cort, Tre and AC are all readying for their match. Well, Cort and Tre are--AC Cobra is playing a game of Countertop Strike, the tactical furniture simulator. AC yells in frustration as he’s killed in the game.
AC: Damn arena wi-fi! How hard can it be to get below 900 ping!
Golden: There’s like a 20,000 people in the stadium using their phones, man. And we’re up soon! Quit playin’!
AC: NO! I need this! I need to make plat before I lose the chance to win the custom chicken skin!
Golden walks over and shuts the laptop screen.
Golden: That stuff’s like a drug to you, man. And I know about that.
He gets serious for a moment.
Golden: Trust me. You just got in shape on us, don’t give up now! Forget the chicken skins, we got a championship opportunity! Not to mention what winning this would do for us in the tag rankings.
AC sighs and unplugs the computer.
Golden: Good. Now are you READY GAMER?
AC stands up, saluting.
AC: AYE AYE CAP’N!
Golden: I CAN’T HEAR YOU!
AC: AYE AYE CAP’N!
Golden claps him on the back.
Golden: OOOOOOH! He’s a wrestler and gamer and his name is AC!
AC gives Tre the side eye.
Golden(laughing): Couldn’t help it.
Golden turns to Cort and offers a hand to shake.
Cort nods.
Cort: Well, whatever happens out there, gentlemen… it’s been good.
Golden, AC, and Cort shake hands.
Golden: Likewise. Wait, where’s Maxwale? Bleaching his hair too look like Jaden Smith?
Cort: God knows what that weirdo is doing at any given moment. Probably breaking children’s legs for bus money. I’m not worried about him so much as I am--
He’s interrupted by a knock at the door. Before any of them can answer, it opens anyway, revealing an OCW employee.
Cort: Can I help you?
The employee looks nervous, eyes darting between the three men.
Employee: I’m here about, uh, about the match.
Cort: Yyyes? Are we going on later, or?
The employee clears his throat.
Employee: In a manner of speaking. You’re going on next riot.
Cort: What!?
Golden: Run that by us again?
Cort grabs the employee by the shirt collar.
Employee: Don’t get mad at me, it was Pugh! He told me to tell you! He left this note.
The employee hands a note to Cort, who lets go of the hapless messenger. Tre and AC move up to read the note with Cort--it’s a little yellow sticky note, with one sentence and a smiley face:
“You’ll learn your place.”
Cort crunches it up and throws it at the wall.
Cort: Asshole!
The employee holds his hands up, but Cort doesn’t make a move. Golden puts his hand on Cort’s shoulder, he nods in acknowledgment.
Cort: This ain’t your fault. Get outta here.
The employee nods before scampering away.
Cort turns back to Tre and AC.
Cort: Well, shit. What do we do now?
Golden: I’m hungry let’s get some wings at Sugar Ray’s It’s been awhile. I’ll buy you a Milwaukee’s best Old timer.
Cort: Eh. Not really in the mood after that. I think I’m gonna head home.
AC: I wonder if Lola is working.
Golden: You might be in love homie, giving winters some competition huh?
The men begin to exit from the locker room on the way to the titty bar. Golden stops before he leaves and picks up the crumpled note on the floor by the wall, shooting it basketball style into the trash can in the other corner of the room.
Golden: Kobe!
Golden exits the room and the scene fades to black.
THE INCEPTION vs C.Q.C*
Bray limps his way towards the interview area, obviously disgruntled after his match from earlier with Blacksmith. He slouches on a chair, wincing in pain.
Bray: You drag The Anime Prince out from the doctor's office to come give you ningens an interview. What do you want? Huh? What do you want!?
A young journalist, nervous, raises her hand to speak.
Female Journalist: Bray, you just went through a chaotic match. How are you feeling right now?
Bray: How the hell do you think I feel? My arm is burning. I have a few broken ribs. I require immediate medical attention.
Bray: I feel like bullsh**. One of the greatest matches these people will ever see in their lives. One of the most intense, most death defying matches of all-time, and I lose. And not only do I lose, but they still booed me. But that's alright, because those people's opinions are nothing compared to the Japanese reactions I received tonight.
Female Journalist: Also, we noticed that your outfit tonight shows a similarity to that of OCW Hall of Famer Michael Morrison. Why him specifically?
Bray: What do you mean “why him specifically?” It’s because “Mad” Michael Morrison is one of the greatest superstars to have ever step foot in this ring. Throughout his storied career, he didn’t give a sh** about the fans, about putting on an entertaining match, or pandering to you ningens. Next question, but not from you.
Another journalist, male, steps up to the plate.
Male Journalist: Bray, some say you “let” The Last Blacksmith win the match, seeing as you held a substantial advantage over him. Do you agree with that statement.
Bray: ...My biggest mistake was trying to give fans a match to remember, but what I should’ve been doing was trying to win. And what did putting on a good match give me? Broken ribs and my second pay-per-view loss of the year. And let me tell you something, it will never happen again. You know why?
He raises the microphone.
Bray: Because I’m here to issue a rematch to The Last Blacksmith. Because tonight he made me realize something…
Bray: He's not to be toyed around with, and I respect that. And I promise you, if you accept my challenge, and don’t back out like the coward I know you are, it’ll be quick. It’ll be fierce. It’ll be deadly. Dig it?
He slams the microphone on the ground and immediately leaves the premises.
HOUSE OF TERROR
CCW CHAMPIONSHIP#1 CONTENDER
B17 vs CODE JACKMAN