Backstage, the former North American Champion, Christian Garcia, has been accosted by Stacy Clark. Christian is clearly not here to compete, judging by his dress, and has noticeable bags under his eyes and a bit of a limp. He doesn't seem all too well.
Stacy: Christian, it's been quite a while since you and I last spoke, but not long since you took what you called a 'soul-searching journey' before Lution 18. First of all, how are you liking the show so far?
Christian Garcia: Gotta say, Stacy, the leadup to Summercide has been one of the most exciting periods I've seen in OCW, some for better, some for worse. The landscape of our company is changing before our eyes, new stars are making their plays at the upper room of relevancy, we have our youngest world champion in his first title defense tonight.
Christian Garcia: That's not even getting into the women's title, or our new North American Champion, or the newest crop of superstars from Ambition. It's a good time to be an OCW fan, or a member of this locker room.
Stacy: Speaking of this locker room and the world champion, you were seen last week with Sheldon Tremblay at the Church, and not long after we find out you've officially re-signed with the company. What-
Christian Garcia raises his hand, and Stacy moves the microphone towards him.
Christian Garcia: This is why I hate dirt sheets. I knew the Whereculture guys were gonna post that before I could talk to the fans directly, so, let me just go ahead and get my side of the story out there.
Christian Garcia looks at the camera, his tiredness now abundantly clear. He takes a long, deep inhale, and speaks. His usual bombast is gone, replaced by a sort of world-weariness that doesn't suit the self-proclaimed Haterweight Champion.
Christian Garcia: I'm just not that guy, Stacy. I have proved, time and time again, when people want to see me take that next step, to move up to the level that other people in my airspace have moved to, I've dropped the ball. Sheldon Tremblay and I fought for a spot in the Super S-Cup.
Christian Garcia: Look at him now. He's the world champion. Ijitu Quartz is back. Drago Cesar is our COO. Aries wasn't actually dead. Bingo's come back, thank God. Emp and Claude Hall are in two separate pi-... di-... okay, they're in two separate clashes of ego with Mr.Sensation and the front office.
Christian Garcia lazily winks at the camera, mouthing 'there you go, Drago', before turning back to Stacy.
Christian Garcia: I told myself, and I told Drago Cesar, and I told Mr.Sensation that I needed to start again. As far as this locker room is concerned, I'm not the former North American Champion. I'm not the man who beat Wrex on his own home turf in a Scum City Deathmatch.
Christian Garcia: I'm just some guy. A new guy. Good guy, bad guy, evil guy, stupid guy, who frickin' knows. All I know, is that for once, the sequel's gotta be better than the original, because look at me. I've been a JOKE, and that's not a knock on anyone who's ever gotten the better of me.
Christian Garcia: That's not a knock on the rest of DDE or the GOAT Academy, or Marcus McMichaels, or Sheldon Tremblay, or Derek Smith, or ANYBODY, that's on ME. I didn't have the right attitude, I didn't have the right mindset.
Christian Garcia: Well either that changes, or I'm done with OCW. Either I'm the best version of myself I can be, or I don't belong in OCW. It's either one or the other.
With that, Stacy finally returns to the mic, and nods thoughtfully to Christian Garcia, who nods at the camera himself.
Stacy: Strong words, Mr. Garcia- when can we expect to see you back in action?
Christian Garcia: Whenever they book me, I'll be here. Don't care when, don't care how, don't care who. I'll fight anybody.
GRUDGE MATCH
MARK REESE vs. KASSIDY HAYES
The sounds of strikes hitting a punching bag echo throughout. Fading in to the Cesar Dojo, we see Dragana Cesar throwing a kick at a punching bag held by Harper LeRoux, who seems to be barely holding on.
She stops and turns around to face her students, staring in amazement. She leads one of the students to the bag. The meek trainee throws a series of sloppy strikes at the bag.
Dragana stops her after she throws a punch, adjusting her arm to get that perfect rotation. Dragana then throws a swift left cross at the bag.
Harper: Ah!
Student: Oh, I think I understand…
Harper struggles to keep the bag in place. The student throws a left cross that isn’t as graceful, but the impact can be heard throughout the dojo. The rest of the students ooh and aah at the demonstration.
Harper: Now although you may see a lot of punches thrown in a typical wrestling match, it’s important to note that just the right angling and torque of your punch can be enough to take down the opponent swiftly - in and out of the ring. You can see that in the ground-’n’-pound styles employed by a handful of stars on the OCW roster.
Dragana nods in approval while the astonished students murmur amongst themselves. The Silent Queen motions toward Harper. The young upstart ecstatically hops in place a few times before sliding into the makeshift ring.
Harper: Alright, so as someone who leans towards the submission style, I would like to show you all how to lock in a relatively simple, but effective, short armbar. Miss Cesar, if you’d step into the ring to help me demonstrate I’d really appreciate it!
Dragana: Mmm!
Dragana perks up and steps through the ropes.
Harper: Alright, so I’d like you to throw a punch at me - slower than a regular one - so I can show them how to apply the hold!
Quiet Mami carefully throws a right hook and is intercepted by Harper, slowly taking her down and locking her in the armbar, holding her in place.
Harper: Now the short armbar is a very effective hold for both taking your opponent down to the mat and really applying the pressure! You’re putting all of your weight on their shoulders while twisting their arm almost out of socket, an incredibly painful situation to be in.
Harper:
You also waste little energy going for something like this as opposed to a more flashy counter or big spot, so it’s a benefit to you as a combatant conserving your stamina for later on.
Dragana taps out and Harper releases the hold.
Student: Woah, that’s so cool….
The former Women’s Champion looks at Harper with a smile on her face as she rises to her feet.
Harper: Um, Miss Cesar… could we perhaps do a quick sparring match to show them what they should expect?
Dragana: Ah!
Dragana bows to the cheers of the students. Harper psyches herself up.
The two women take corners opposite each other. Dragana humbly waits for Harper to be ready. Harper psyches herself up and then takes up a grappling stance, circling the center of the ring as Dragana does so as well.
The two meet up in the center for a collar and elbow lockup, with Dragana able to take the advantage away from Harper and simply push her back.
Student: Look at the size difference…
Harper seems to immediately understand she can’t overpower Dragana at such an early stage, and instead goes low for an ankle pick, knocking the older woman off balance and applying an ankle lock.
The other students seem amazed that Harper could even lock in the hold, but it doesn’t last long before Dragana is able to fend Harper off and get back to her feet.
The two women approach one another again, but this time Harper tries to kick low, only to be caught by Dragana and spun around. Dragana then hooks Harper’s arms and wastes no time hitting her with a dragon suplex.
Harper manages to kick out of the ensuing pin attempt, just barely. Dragana creates some distance and allows Harper time to recover.
The other students murmur amongst themselves.
Student: Did you see that suplex? Hurts just watching…
After a few moments, Harper approaches once again and baits a strike attempt out of Dragana, Harper catching her arm and applying an arm wrench, before transitioning into a wristlock.
Harper then heads for the corner, where she swiftly climbs the ropes and leaps off for a wrist lock arm drag - a move commonly seen done by fellow church member Chris Greene. She covers Dragana, who kicks out with relative ease.
Student: Is it even now? I can’t tell who’s on top…
Harper creates distance between herself and Dragana, who just smiles at her and motions for the young talent to keep on bringing the heat. Harper understands this, and charges at Dragana, only for Dragana to side step her at the last second.
Harper stops herself before hitting the corner and spins around, only for Dragana to grab ahold of her and take her down to the mat - applying the very same short armbar they’d just shown the students before. In just a few moments, Harper taps out and Dragana helps her back up.
The other students begin to applaud the two women for a short but competitive sparring bout.
Harper: Remember what I said? It’s a very painful move to be in… to be expected from one of the greatest women’s wrestlers of the last decade. She doesn’t pull her punches!
A flattered Dragana puts her hands on her heart and her face turns red. She steps toward Harper and gives her a big hug. Harper hugs her back.
Harper: Thank you Miss Cesar!
The students collectively let out an "aww" while the two women embrace each other.